Oxford University has published an open letter hinting at special treatment for any ‘Black students’ who can claim in some way to have been traumatised by the ‘brutal killing of George Floyd.’

Oxford is 3,959 miles away from Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed. The territory occupied by Minnesota has not been under British jurisdiction for nearly 250 years. And there have in the United Kingdom been many, many more local incidents which might more reasonably have traumatised students at Oxford University — ranging from the rape gangs which tortured and sexually abused underage girls right on the university’s doorstep in Oxford itself to, just 160 miles away, the slaughter and mutilation by a Muslim suicide bomber of dozens of kids attending an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.

But the university, in its wisdom, has decided that the killing of George Floyd is of near-unique significance and has written to its student body accordingly.

The letter, signed by the university’s vice-chancellor Louise Richardson and all its Heads of Houses, begins:

Dear Students

Thank you for your letter expressing your concerns for the welfare of Black students at the University at this time. We are writing to you as a group of individuals who care deeply about our University: we appreciate you writing to us, not least because we share your concerns about the traumatic effect of the brutality which killed George Floyd and which is a manifestation of institutionalised racism.  The collective failures to address attitudes and behaviours which amount to discrimination are still prevalent in many institutions, including higher education.

The letter does not provide any supporting examples of ‘attitudes and behaviours which amount to discrimination’ which it claims are still prevalent in ‘higher education’ – probably because this would be nigh-on impossible.

It goes on to advise students who feel their ‘performance might have been affected’ of how to plead ‘mitigating circumstances.’

Lest there be any doubt that these ‘mitigating circumstances’ are to be taken seriously, the letter notes:

The heads of house signatories of this letter will alert all college academic and welfare staff to the potential need here, and will urge those colleagues to reach out to any students who may be experiencing difficulty at this time.

(ie ‘Don’t worry: the college heads are all on board with this woke gesture politicking.’)

The letter also heavy hints to any ‘Black students’ who want slack off — and get indulged by their tutors — that now is the perfect time.

Reduction of workload
The heads of house signatories of this letter will alert college tutors, senior tutors, tutors for graduates and welfare staff to the potential need here, and will urge those colleagues to reach out to any Black students who may be experiencing difficulty at this time.
This is a matter for individual discussions between students and their tutors. We urge any undergraduate who is feeling the strain to contact their tutors/senior tutor/welfare supporter as soon as possible, and likewise any graduate student to contact their supervisor/college tutor for graduates/college welfare team.

The letter concludes by taking a metaphorical knee, lest reader be under the illusion that Oxford University is reluctant in any way to abase and prostrate itself before the sacred cow of Black Lives Matter.

We reiterate here what we said in that letter [to the Guardian] “We recognise and regret that, for black members of our community, the unfolding crisis together with the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on their communities has caused them particular anxiety, anger and pain. We stand with them during these difficult moments with hope that, through the global mobilisation of many against these injustices, through education, discussion, and peaceful protest, we may work together towards a world free of systemic racism and discrimination.”

Lest anyone be puzzled as to how a once-great seat of learning has come to prostitute itself so shamingly before the altar of Woke, an answer of sorts is provided in the list of signatories.

Most of the so-called Heads of Houses (ie heads of the various colleges) are not, as was formerly the case, distinguished academics/charismatic figures of outstanding achievement but dreary apparatchiks given the jobs either because they push the correct diversity/gender buttons or, because – in the case of pale, stale males like ex-Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and Blairite nonentity Will Hutton – they have the right politically correct politics.

There’s only one person on the list I spotted whose views might remotely be construed as conservative. But I’d better not identify them lest they be destroyed by the mob.