March 16, 2007

Powerless at the bottom of the pile...

Recently submitted post:

'I have just recently heard that my grievance is going to the committee stage... they have been unable to deny the grievance or push it aside... to dismiss it...

...the silence around my faculty is deafening... those with power avoid me... like I might contaminate them..

...someone today - let's call him - Andrew - we studied together for out MA - we struggled - but Andrew has been very successful in the university - I have hinted to him about the issues within the university... he is a radical... a critical thinker... passionate about education and learning... but today he couldn't look me in the eye... he has betrayed me... he has betrayed himself...

...as a while middle class woman I am learning through this experience what it is to be powerless at the bottom of the pile...

...I am learning that you have to keep picking yourself up... to have faith in what you believe in...

...because the lies about you are so juicy...

...the role of academics is to raise questions... to take risks... to argue...

...just as long as they don't do it about the academy...'

Aphra Behn

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