I remember how it was -- JR
Leftism is fundamentally incompatible with what universities do
So it is a considerable tragedy that universities are a great bastion of Leftism
The besetting fault of Leftists is that they propose solutions to problems without first making much effort to understand the problem. Their ego makes them sure that they know it all without effort. Sadly, their ignorant solutions often make the problem worse
I have just come across a classic example of that. It appeared in the glossy magazine put out by my alma mater, the University of Queensland -- and was written by a UQ academic. For details, see:
https://stories.uq.edu.au/contact-magazine/2023/australias-housing-crisis-is-deepening/index.html
To understand how brain-dead the article is you need only to know that there is a great shortage of rental accomodation in many advanced countries -- including Australia and the UK. Many people are not in a position to own their own homes so rely on what they can rent. And all governments -- including Soviet-style ones -- are very poor at providing housing. Even welfare housing is usually only a small fraction of the available rental housingSo in Australia, the UK, and elsewhere, it falls on private landlords to provide most of the rentals. But at the moment there are just not enough rentals to go around. People end up living in their cars and in the streets. And some groups cram six people into an apartment built for two.
So amid such a dire shortage of rental housing, you would think that governments would be going all-out to encourage more people to go landlording, would you not? But that is logical -- too logical for short-sighted Leftists. Instead, they are doing their level best to DISCOURAGE private landlording.
They seem to think that they can give tenants more rights without reducing the rights of landlords. But that is in fact a zero-sum game. A right for a tenant is a restriction on rights for a landlord.
A good example: Mandating that tenants must be allowed to keep a pet restricts landlords from forbidding pets. And landlords do usually want to forbid pets -- for good reasons. When a pet-owning tenant moves out, the piss and shit that has fallen on the landlord's carpet makes the carpet so stinky that the property is unlettable to new tenants. So the landlord has to spend thousands replacing the carpet. As a former landlord, I have been there and done that.
And making it compulsory for landlords to allow pets has actually been done where I live.
So the first two things listed as needing to be done for tenants in the UQ magazine are solidly aimed at advantaging tenants -- without the slightest evidence of thought about how landlords might respond to that. Real estate agents have already warned that new rights being contemplated will cause owners to withdraw their properties from the rental market. So the reforms that would supposedly "help" tenants are likely to leave more of them on the streets
Apartments and houses are being sold for very high prices at the moment so it will be very tempting for landlords to sell up. One despairs for our universities. Deep thought has become alien to them
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‘Alarmist’ climate change teaching leaves pupils fearing for their future
More than half of teenagers think the world will likely end in their lifetime because of climate change, as parents warn of the dangers of “alarmist” teaching in schools.
Climate change education in schools is feeding anxiety among children and putting them off having families of their own, research has suggested.
A poll carried out of more than 1,000 sixth-form pupils in March found that 53 per cent believe it is “likely” that the world will end in their lifetime because of climate change.
It showed that 26 per cent of teenagers who ever feel anxious or sad say climate change has made their anxiety or sadness worse.
Half of 16- to 18-year-olds said people should have fewer children to stop “overpopulation and climate change”, according to the report published by the Civitas think tank.
Academics have warned that “eco-anxiety”, or a feeling of acute fear over the planet’s future, is on the rise among children and teenagers.
Dr Alex Standish, an associate professor of geography education at University College London, said that instead of reflecting “catastrophising narratives” around climate change, schools need to “provide children with perspective on global warming and offer them positive ways forwards”.
Climate change in the national curriculum in England is currently directly referenced in secondary school subjects, including science and geography. However, research has shown that most teachers across primaries and secondaries are teaching and talking to their pupils about the topic.
A survey of more than 600 primary and secondary teachers in England in 2021 found that teachers in England support an “action-based” climate change curriculum, including issues of “global social justice, beginning in primary school with mitigation projects such as conservation, local tree-planting and family advocacy”.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/20/climate-change-alarmist-teaching-school-children-fears/
*************************************************‘I'm suing after my kid was given a chest binder and gender-affirming therapy’
When Amber Lavigne found a chest binder (an undergarment used to flatten breast tissue) in her 13-year-old’s room, the mum was upset.
Her child, who identifies as a boy, had been seeing a new social worker called Roy at school, and without Amber’s knowledge, she alleges that Roy gave the teen gender-affirming counselling and provided the undergarment.
Amber’s family lives in Maine, where school policy excludes parents from gender affirming counselling because of the risk that some parents may react negatively to or try to stop their child’s transition, according to reporting by the New York Post and the Maine Wire.
On Tuesday the US mum has filed a lawsuit against the school board.
“Lavigne has never given [the school] cause to believe that [the child] will be harmed in any way by [Lavigne’s] knowledge of [gender-affirming counselling], nor is there any basis for such a belief. Consequently there is no rational basis for the school withholding and concealing such information,” the filing states.
But shortly after the mum complained about the counselling, a welfare agent from Maine’s Office of Child and Family Services visited the Lavigne home after an anonymous tip about alleged abuse. Amber said she believed the visit came because she spoke out against the school.
Amber was aware that in Year 7, a school social worker had been talking to the teen about mental health issues and questions of gender identity, but when she spoke to the counsellor, Amber said she understood that the issues had resolved themselves.
In Year 8 though, the teen began seeing Roy, a new social worker, without Amber’s knowledge. The mum wasn’t aware that the gender transitioning discussions had continued in secret until she found the chest binder.
Amber was furious about the secrecy and said it violated her rights.
“When school officials found out, they defended the counsellor’s actions, trampling on my constitutional rights at every turn,” the mum said in a statement released by her legal team at the Goldwater Institute.
“The Supreme Court has repeatedly held, over the last century, that parents have a fundament right to control and direct the education, upbringing and healthcare decisions of their children,” lead lawyer Adam Shelton added.
“But parents cannot meaningfully exercise this right if public schools hide vital information about their children from them.”
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A Symptom of Urban Crime’s Toll on College Students
In recent years, there has been a surge in violent crime in our nation’s capital, and unfortunately, our college students have not been spared. This issue has become symptomatic of a larger problem that plagues urban cities across the nation, where college students are being robbed and carjacked, all at gunpoint. As these young adults work to educate themselves and become productive citizens, they are faced with a harrowing reality: Crime can find them even in the hallowed halls of academia. Washington, D.C., the city that represents our nation’s values and aspirations, has become a chilling example of the challenges these students face.
As parents send their children off to college, they envision a sanctuary of learning, growth and self-discovery. They do not expect their sons and daughters to be held at gunpoint while walking to class or to the library. Yet, that is the disheartening truth for far too many students in urban environments. Washington, D.C., home to several prestigious universities, has seen an alarming uptick in violent crime targeting college students.
In neighborhoods adjacent to some of our most esteemed institutions, such as Howard University, Georgetown University and American University, students are faced with a constant barrage of news stories about classmates being robbed, assaulted or even killed. This unrelenting assault on their sense of security and well-being has forced these young adults to adapt to a new reality — one where they are always on high alert, not just in their quest for knowledge but also for their personal safety.
The reasons for this surge in violent crime are multifaceted, ranging from poverty to drug addiction to the breakdown of the family structure. As a nation, we must confront these issues head-on to help create a safer environment for our students, and ultimately, for all of our citizens.
We cannot continue to ignore the impact of poverty on crime rates. For generations, the lack of resources and opportunities in underserved urban communities has led to a sense of despair and hopelessness. This desperation can drive young people to make regrettable choices, including resorting to crime as a means of survival.
By investing in education, job training and community development initiatives, we can provide a pathway out of poverty and give these individuals a reason to believe in a brighter future.
Another contributing factor to the high crime rates in our urban centers is drug addiction. The scourge of drugs, particularly opioids, has ravaged communities across the country. This epidemic has torn families apart and created a breeding ground for crime. A comprehensive approach to addressing the opioid crisis, including accessible addiction treatment services and support for those in recovery, is essential in our fight against urban crime.
In many of these communities, the breakdown of the family structure has been a significant contributor to the rise in crime. With an increase in single-parent households and the absence of positive role models, young people are often left to navigate the challenges of life without proper guidance. This void in their lives can make them susceptible to the influences of gang culture and criminal activity. By promoting strong families and providing mentorship programs, we can help our youth resist these dangerous temptations.
While we work to address these complex issues, we must also recognize the importance of supporting our law enforcement agencies. The men and women in blue risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe, and they need the proper resources and support to do their jobs effectively. The current trend of demonizing the police and advocating for defunding their budgets is counterproductive and detrimental to the safety of our college students and urban communities.
We need leaders who not only understand the gravity of the situation but are also willing to take bold and decisive actions to protect our most vulnerable citizens. This is not a time for complacency or empty promises. We need representatives who prioritize public safety above all else and are committed to allocating the necessary resources to combat crime effectively.
One crucial aspect of this is increasing police presence in high-risk areas. We cannot ignore the fact that a visible and proactive law enforcement presence is vital in deterring criminals and ensuring the safety of our communities. By supporting initiatives that bolster police presence and provide them with the tools they need, we send a strong message to criminals that their actions will not go unpunished.
We cannot stop at simply electing officials who promise change. We must hold them accountable for their actions. Transparency, effectiveness and proactive policing are nonnegotiable. Our elected officials must be transparent in their decision-making processes, ensuring that the public is well informed and involved. We need them to implement strategies that have been proven to work, continuously evaluate their effectiveness and make adjustments as needed.
To achieve this, we must actively participate in the democratic process. We must engage with our elected officials, express our concerns and demand action. By raising our voices, we can create a groundswell of support for the safety and well-being of our college students and urban communities. Together, we can work toward a future where education thrives, where the halls of academia remain sanctuaries of learning and growth, free from the grip of violent crime.
https://patriotpost.us/opinion/97582
******************************************************My other blogs: Main ones below
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://snorphty.blogspot.com/ (TONGUE-TIED)
http://jonjayray.com/blogall.html More blogs
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