One of UK's top colleges says phrase ‘as you know’ is microaggression, urges profs to stop using it

Bath University in Britain is urging its professors to stop using the term "as you know" in an effort to stop making students who may not know feel bad about themselves.

What are the details?

According to a Saturday report in The Daily Mail, members of Bath University’s equality and diversity network met and advised professors to avoid using "as you know" during discussions out of fear that it would cause students to feel inadequate if they, indeed, did not know whatever it was to which the lecturer pointed.

Reports say that the meeting took place in May at Bath University's campus in Somerset, England.

Berenice Dalrymple, co-chair of Bath University’s student union race equality group, reportedly told those in attendance at the meeting, “Some lecturers used commonly known references stating 'as you know', which could make students feel at fault for not knowing and make it difficult to engage with the course content.”

You can read the meeting's full minutes here.

A video was also reportedly shown during the meeting, called "Why is My Curriculum White?"



What else?

According to The Sun, Joanna Williams — who is a former university lecturer and author — immediately took issue with the suggestion of avoiding "as you know."

“The assumption that students can’t cope with the common expression 'as you know' is ridiculous,” Williams said, according to the outlet, noting that students were "far more sensible" than that.

The Daily Mail reported that a spokesperson for the university said that the equality and diversity network boasted a "broad membership" and hosted lively debate.

In a statement, the spokesperson explained, "One of the good things about universities is having the freedom of speech to discuss equality and diversity openly. Our students are bright, curious and frequently challenge received wisdom – and we wouldn’t want it any other way."