Kristina Murkett

Last week Eton College made the controversial decision to sack an English teacher after he refused to take down his YouTube video entitled ‘The Patriarchy Paradox’. In the 30-minute lecture, Will Knowland argues that the patriarchy results from biological differences rather than social constructs and that the system benefits women. Eton’s decision is not, as many people would argue, an attack on free speech and fundamental liberties. It is an attack on foolishness. If Knowland’s intention had been to encourage healthy academic debate, then there are many other outlets he could have chosen: an assembly, a debate, or one of his English lessons.

It has not been a good year for statues. The latest creative controversy now surrounds the newly unveiled Mary Wollstonecraft memorial in Newington Green, Islington. Sadly, this monument to the ‘mother of feminism’ is more pubic art than public art: a tiny, naked female, all shredded abs and bouffant bush, on top of a strange swirl of organic matter. Apparently, the statue is not Wollstonecraft herself, but a tribute to her spirit. This is rather ironic, given that Wollstonecraft dedicated a whole chapter to Vindication of the Rights of Woman to how women’s minds should be admired over their bodies. It is wrong on so many levels.

Does white privilege exist? For many white working-class pupils, in particular boys, it doesn't. For years, it has been clear that these youngsters are struggling. Now for poor white kids, things are arguably worse than ever. Among poor white children, only 24 per cent of boys and 32 per cent of girls achieve five good GCSEs. As many as 73 per cent of children at Pupil Referral Units are white British. Only 13 per cent of white British boys on free school meals go to university. The attainment gap between white pupils who qualify for free school meals and more affluent white children is the widest of any ethnic group. These dire statistics might sound horrifying, yet they are hardly surprising; the warnings have been there for a while.

Kim Kardashian West is the latest in a long line of celebrities, including Katy Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, to freeze their social media accounts in order to protest against the spread of ‘hate, propaganda and misinformation’. But while the #StopHateForProfit campaign has no shortage of famous people signing up, it won’t be long before the same celebrities return to social media; the latest campaign lasts for just 24 hours. So is this really about stopping hate or is a bid to generate some easy publicity? It’s hard not to be sceptical. That’s not to say, of course, that the campaign isn’t a worthy cause. Created in June, its aim is to put pressure on Facebook and Instagram to do more to stop the spread of hate speech and fake news.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Women’s Prize For Fiction, and there is much to celebrate. Over the last quarter of a century the prize has become one of the most successful awards in the world, and has exposed readers to important, challenging and accomplished works by female authors. There is no doubt that the Prize will go down in the ‘herstory’ books as a force for good. However, with Maggie O'Farrell announced as the 25th winner last night, perhaps it no longer needs to be part of our future. Much has changed in 25 years. In 1991, when the idea for the Prize was in its early embryonic form, there was not a single female writer in the Booker Prize shortlist, and clearly many female writers were being overlooked.

I had just finished my last day teaching at school when I found out: it had been a blur of Microsoft Teams training, unexpected farewells to pupils and packing up suitcases full of books. Much like my students, I was exhausted, apprehensive, and more than a little confused. I turned the radio on, and that’s when I heard Boris Johnson’s announcement: 'Exams will not take place as planned in May and June, though we will make sure that pupils get the qualifications that they need and deserve for their academic career.' Five months later, it is clear that not all A-level pupils have got the qualifications that they need, and that even more have not got the qualifications they deserve. Universities must acknowledge this, and they must do so quickly.