London--Laura Spence has excellent grades, a place at Harvard University and a US $25,000 a year scholarship.
London
--
Laura
Spence
has
excellent
grades
,
a
place
at
Harvard
University
and
a
US
$
25,000
a
year
scholarship
.
The British Government says that is scandal.
The
British
Government
says
that
is
scandal
.
Not because the 18-year-old girl is going to Harvard, but because she was rejected by Oxford University.
Not
because
the
18-year-old
girl
is
going
to
Harvard
,
but
because
she
was
rejected
by
Oxford
University
.
Her case makes people talk about the long-running problems about elitism in British education.
Her
case
makes
people
talk
about
the
long-running
problems
about
elitism
in
British
education
.
"I think it's a scandal if a child has to go to Harvard rather than getting into Oxford, don't you?"
``
I
think
it
's
a
scandal
if
a
child
has
to
go
to
Harvard
rather
than
getting
into
Oxford
,
do
n't
you
?
''
Education Secretary David Blunkett said on May 26th in an interview on BBC radio.
Education
Secretary
David
Blunkett
said
on
May
26th
in
an
interview
on
BBC
radio
.
British Treasury chief Gordon Brown said in a speech on May 25th it was "an absolute scandal", a girl with those grades was turned down by Oxford's Magdalen College.
British
Treasury
chief
Gordon
Brown
said
in
a
speech
on
May
25th
it
was
``
an
absolute
scandal
''
,
a
girl
with
those
grades
was
turned
down
by
Oxford
's
Magdalen
College
.
He noted that Spence comes from Monkseaton in northeastern England, where people sometimes complain they get fewer chances than people living in the richer, more populous south.
He
noted
that
Spence
comes
from
Monkseaton
in
northeastern
England
,
where
people
sometimes
complain
they
get
fewer
chances
than
people
living
in
the
richer
,
more
populous
south
.
Oxford and Cambridge University now take the majority of their students 53 percent from publicly funded schools.
Oxford
and
Cambridge
University
now
take
the
majority
of
their
students
53
percent
from
publicly
funded
schools
.
Elite private schools such as Eton and Harrow account for the other 47 percent, even though they serve only 7 percent of secondary students.
Elite
private
schools
such
as
Eton
and
Harrow
account
for
the
other
47
percent
,
even
though
they
serve
only
7
percent
of
secondary
students
.
A BBC reporter had seen notes of Spence's interview at Magdalen.
A
BBC
reporter
had
seen
notes
of
Spence
's
interview
at
Magdalen
.
"As with other comprehensive school pupils, she's low in confidence and difficult to draw out of herself in spite of being able to think on her feet," the BBC quoted the notes as saying.
``
As
with
other
comprehensive
school
pupils
,
she
's
low
in
confidence
and
difficult
to
draw
out
of
herself
in
spite
of
being
able
to
think
on
her
feet
,
''
the
BBC
quoted
the
notes
as
saying
.
Still, the notes concluded that Spence "will be an excellent doctor."
Still
,
the
notes
concluded
that
Spence
``
will
be
an
excellent
doctor
.
''
"It appears as if some of our institutions have admissions procedures which may be because of absurd prejudices against children from comprehensive schools are not giving these children a fair crack of the whip", Education Minister Wicks told the BBC.
``
It
appears
as
if
some
of
our
institutions
have
admissions
procedures
which
may
be
because
of
absurd
prejudices
against
children
from
comprehensive
schools
are
not
giving
these
children
a
fair
crack
of
the
whip
''
,
Education
Minister
Wicks
told
the
BBC
.
London--Laura Spence has excellent grades, a place at Harvard University and a US $25,000 a year scholarship. The British Government says that is scandal.  Not because the 18-year-old girl is going to Harvard, but because she was rejected by Oxford University. Her case makes people talk about the long-running problems about elitism in British education. "I think it's a scandal if a child has to go to Harvard rather than getting into Oxford, don't you?" Education Secretary David Blunkett said on May 26th in an interview on BBC radio.  British Treasury chief Gordon Brown said in a speech on May 25th it was "an absolute scandal", a girl with those grades was turned down by Oxford's Magdalen College. He noted that Spence comes from Monkseaton in northeastern England, where people sometimes complain they get fewer chances than people living in the richer, more populous south.  Oxford and Cambridge University now take the majority of their students 53 percent from publicly funded schools. Elite private schools such as Eton and Harrow account for the other 47 percent, even though they serve only 7 percent of secondary students. A BBC reporter had seen notes of Spence's interview at Magdalen. "As with other comprehensive school pupils, she's low in confidence and difficult to draw out of herself in spite of being able to think on her feet," the BBC quoted the notes as saying. Still, the notes concluded that Spence "will be an excellent doctor."  "It appears as if some of our institutions have admissions procedures which may be because of absurd prejudices against children from comprehensive schools are not giving these children a fair crack of the whip", Education Minister Wicks told the BBC.