Reports are emerging that students at Oxford University are the latest higher education institution to demand that clapping should be prohibited because the noise can trigger anxiety. The proposals suggest ‘jazz hands’ as the alternative. These ‘jazz hands’ are used in British sign language as the alternative for clapping and involves the waving of hands. To many clapping is a courteous act and a means of showing appreciation. Mental health is a serious issue that affects many people throughout the world. However, these plans have received widespread criticism and mockery on social media.
The proposals were put forward at the student union’s first meeting of the academic year on Tuesday. The Sabbatical Officers Roisin McCallion, Vice President for Welfare and Equal Opportunity and Ebie Edwards Cole, Chair for Oxford SU Disabilities Campaign passed the motion to encourage silent clapping. UNN’s Oliver Down has attempted to make contact with Oxford University to ascertain as to what the potential punishments will be for offenders who clap on the university’s campus, but it has not currently been able to get an answer at the time of publication.
Some of Britain’s higher education institutions have had the alternative to traditional clapping in place since 2015. The University of Manchester Students Union passed a similar motion in September 2018. One former student told the Daily Mail “Oxford University Student Union is always seeking to be more accommodating for students. Especially for those with accessibility issues. But this idea will not work and is completely ludicrous.” The students at Oxford have been brandished as “snowflakes” by the Sun. UNN’s Oliver Down crafted an emotive piece on world mental health day on mental health in the UK and is an issue he takes incredibly seriously. However, many will suggest there are better ways of making the university experience more inclusive to students who have mental health issues.
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Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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