Snowflake students are ‘being allowed to avoid exam questions they claim could be upsetting at University of Sheffield’
- Lecturers at the University of Sheffield advised about distressing topics
- Undergraduates raised concerns last year that they were being left in ‘tears’
- Critics attacked it as another example of pandering to the snowflake generation
Undergraduates are being allowed to avoid exam questions or essays they claim could be upsetting.
Lecturers at the University of Sheffield have been advised about the risk of including distressing topics such as racism, sexuality and gender, and told that alternatives can be offered.
‘Sensitive and controversial issues’ in the guidance on the English literature course include politics, race, gender identity, faith and religion, sexuality, drugs and alcohol, rape, abortion, disability and domestic or sexual violence, according to the Sunday Times.
Lecturers at the University of Sheffield (pictured) have been advised about the risk of including distressing topics such as racism, sexuality and gender, and told that alternatives can be offered
Critics attacked the list of exemptions as another example of pandering to the snowflake generation and warned they were not preparing young people for the real world
Undergraduates at Sheffield raised concerns last year that they were being left in ‘tears’ or feeling ‘distressed and anxious’ by sensitive material.
But critics attacked the list of exemptions as another example of pandering to the snowflake generation and warned they were not preparing young people for the real world.
Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘These kids need to toughen up. If they can’t face questions like this at university then they shouldn’t be at university. Mollycoddling them and giving them protective walls is not preparing them for life.
Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at Kent University, added it was ‘cultivating the sense of fragility of students’.
A Sheffield University spokesman said: ‘The university provides guidance to staff on teaching sensitive topics and departmental tutors advise students of potentially distressing subject matter as and when appropriate.’
Undergraduates at Sheffield (pictured) raised concerns last year that they were being left in ‘tears’ or feeling ‘distressed and anxious’ by sensitive material