The chorus from "Another Brick In The Wall Part 2" was always bait to my mother, as though the double negative somehow undermined the message.
I'm in education myself - I'm an engineering lecturer at the University of Plopsaland. Among the students I dealt with this week are two that I will call X and Y, however mathematically clichéd that seems.
Student X is from the Home Counties of England - the largely rather affluent region that surrounds, but does not include, London. X has been an award-winning student since enrolling here. X has a family background that includes other successful career engineers.
Student Y is from some shit-hole just off the motorway.
Student X gave a presentation this week based on a lab experiment done earlier in the trimester. My colleague and I struggled to find anything wrong with the presentation at all. It was one of those rare pieces of work that are worth 100%, or something very close to that.
On the same day, the last day of any teaching before the second trimester exams start, student Y handed in a withdrawal notice. After struggles with attendance and coursework deadlines, Y has decided to throw in the towel, despite being able to salvage whatever he/she can from the second trimester exams and the August resits.
Student X is almost certain to graduate with a decent class of degree with very real career prospects. But it's student Y who really needs it.
