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NUS apologises after omitting Judaism from religion survey for second time in six months | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The National Union of Students (NUS) has been forced to apologise after it omitted Judaism from a survey on its members’ religions – six months after making the same mistake in an earlier questionnaire. | |
Sent out to students all across the UK, it asked them to select a faith from a list of options, but failed to include the fifth largest religion in the country. | Sent out to students all across the UK, it asked them to select a faith from a list of options, but failed to include the fifth largest religion in the country. |
A similar survey in July had the same omission. In both, the list of religions offered 11 options including spiritual, agnostic and atheist, as well as Buddhist, Christian and Muslim. | |
After complaints in July, NUS president Shakira Martin said the situation would be dealt with. | After complaints in July, NUS president Shakira Martin said the situation would be dealt with. |
But when the second survey was sent out, a Jewish student alerted the NUS that they had made the same mistake. | But when the second survey was sent out, a Jewish student alerted the NUS that they had made the same mistake. |
They said that the organisation was “forgetting Jewish students. Again.” | |
Ms Martin apologised to Jewish students in a video posted on social media, telling them it was “unacceptable” and that she was “so angry” with the omission. | |
“The first time it happened, I could tweet and say sorry,” she said. “But the second time… It’s unacceptable, and I just want to reassure the whole Jewish community that I will be dealing with this. | |
“I’m pi**ed. I’m so frickin’ pi**ed, I’m not going to lie. And I’m not scared to say sorry. People know that I’m a person that if I do something wrong, I’ll be the first one to say sorry, and I’m hoping that people out there will know that I’m being genuine. | “I’m pi**ed. I’m so frickin’ pi**ed, I’m not going to lie. And I’m not scared to say sorry. People know that I’m a person that if I do something wrong, I’ll be the first one to say sorry, and I’m hoping that people out there will know that I’m being genuine. |
“I’m so angry. Being president and being accountable sometimes can be really difficult.” | “I’m so angry. Being president and being accountable sometimes can be really difficult.” |
She added: “I sincerely apologise. I think that’s what’s wrong with politicians and student politicians – people are scared to say sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry if anyone felt like they weren’t welcomed or that they were pushed out – genuinely that is not my intention, across the whole organisation.” | She added: “I sincerely apologise. I think that’s what’s wrong with politicians and student politicians – people are scared to say sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry if anyone felt like they weren’t welcomed or that they were pushed out – genuinely that is not my intention, across the whole organisation.” |
Ms Martin emphasised her determination to “rebuild relationships and trust among all our membership, but Jewish students in particular”. | |
She said: “I totally understand after the years – but especially last year, before my presidency, that Jewish students had – that this type of thing is not acceptable. You will not not see Judaism on an NUS form again. I will be making sure that we will be reviewing all our forms, and that this is on everyone’s form, and that this [situation] will not happen again.” | She said: “I totally understand after the years – but especially last year, before my presidency, that Jewish students had – that this type of thing is not acceptable. You will not not see Judaism on an NUS form again. I will be making sure that we will be reviewing all our forms, and that this is on everyone’s form, and that this [situation] will not happen again.” |
It is not the first time the NUS has incited anger in the Jewish student community in recent years. | |
In 2016, MPs accused former president Malia Bouattia of failing to take a growing culture of antisemitism on campuses seriously. | |
A cross-party report published by the Home Affairs Select Committee highlighted a number of allegations made against her. | |
“Ms Bouattia’s choice of language (and ongoing defence of that language) suggests a worrying disregard for her duty to represent all sections of the student population and promote balanced and respectful debate,” it said. | |
“Referring to Birmingham University as a ‘Zionist outpost’ (and similar comments) smacks of outright racism, which is unacceptable, and even more so from a public figure such as the president of the NUS.” |
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