Professor’s co-ed projects broke “obligation to accommodate”

Citing religious opposition to the “intermingling between men and women,” a student in an online course asked to be counted out of a group project because of the preponderance of women in the group.  When the instructor refused, administrators said he broke their “obligation to accommodate.” (ETA: Thanks to the reader who pointed to this longer, more informative account of the situation.)

I’m underwhelmed with the professor’s objections, as “in my day you couldn’t do that” is the sort of objection that could be applied to many reasonable requests for accommodation.  However, I sympathize with the professor’s resistance.  York University is an explicitly co-educational school accepting all genders; a student’s requirement not to interact with other genders seems counter to the commitments of the university.

UK Jury endorses police killing of unarmed black man

The family of Mark Duggan, whose death in Tottenham sparked the 2011 riots across England, were left devastated as an inquest jury decided he was not holding a gun when shot by police, but nevertheless found the marksman’s decision to open fire was lawful…

The lawful killing verdict was a surprise to some even on the police side, and more so as before announcing the decision, the jury had announced by an eight-to-two majority that they were sure Duggan did not have a gun in his hand when shot.

That had seemed to be the issue at the heart of the inquest.

The jury delivered a narrative verdict, answering a series of questions. It had appeared that the six days of deliberations were going to produce a disaster for the Metropolitan police when the jury found law enforcement had not done enough to gather and react to intelligence Duggan may be seeking to acquire a gun.

Instead the jury announced that by an eight-to-two majority they believed the firearms officer had acted lawfully in gunning Duggan down.

Be a man

The Representation Project has produced a documentary about how gender stereotypes affect men – and the way they are towards women. Another reminder that how women are perceived cannot be changed without looking at men differently too.