Only universities in the West feel any need to become more “inclusive” by discarding their own cultural identity. No one ever expects of that of universities in, say, Saudi Arabia or Iran. And nature, in this context as in all others, abhors a vacuum. The emptiness of the woke London School of Economics calendar will eventually be filled with other observances. Maybe Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Maybe something else altogether.
“‘Woke’ London university cancels Christmas, Lent and Easter to be more inclusive,” by Francesca Edwards, Express, January 30, 2023:
The London School of Economics has been criticised for the “woke” decision to change the names of its terms. It comes after the school decided to change the names of its traditional terms in a bid to be more “international”. The university traditionally structured its year as the Michaelmas term, the Christmas break, the Lent term, Easter break, the summer term and finally the summer holidays.
But from next year they will be renamed as “autumn term”, “winter term” and “spring term”, moving away from the calendar followed by leading universities including Oxford and Cambridge. The school said the names use more “accessible and widely-recognised terminology” and “better reflect” the international community.
But it has come under fire with some feeling it is an attack on the Christian festivals. Simon Calvert, deputy director at The Christian Institute, said those with traditional values are being “silenced or bullied” labelling the decision “ludicrous”
He told The Telegraph: “We have been warning for years that Christians are being pushed from the public square, yet the problem is getting worse.
Mr Calvert added: “It’s particularly ironic when this happens at institutions that were originally founded on Christian principles and with endowments from Christian benefactors. They don’t seem to have given any thought to the message this sends to their Christian staff and students, especially in a sector which has become a hostile environment to those with traditional views.”
The university is also making the change to remove the word ‘director’ and replace it with ‘president and vice-chancellor’ for five of its most senior bosses.
In December teaching staff at the University of Brighton were told that the word Christmas is too “Christian-centric” and instead advised to call the break as ‘winter closure period’….
