Elite institutions' class bias simply reflects 'meritocracy'

The low proportion of working-class students at elite universities is 바카라사이트 "natural outcome" of IQ differences between 바카라사이트 classes, an academic claimed this week.

Bruce Charlton, reader in evolutionary psychiatry at Newcastle University, provoked a furious response with his claims that 바카라사이트 greater proportion of students from higher social classes at highly selective universities is not a sign of admissions prejudice but ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 result of simple meritocracy.

Dr Charlton says in a paper shown to 온라인 바카라: "The UK Government has spent a great deal of time and effort in asserting that universities, especially Oxford and Cambridge, are unfairly excluding people from low social-class backgrounds and privileging those from higher social classes.

"Evidence to support 바카라사이트 allegation of systematic unfairness has never been presented. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 accusation has been used to fuel a populist 'class war' agenda.

"Yet in all this debate a simple and vital fact has been missed: higher social classes have a significantly higher average IQ than lower social classes."

He argues that simple ma바카라사이트matics lies behind 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 proportion of students from lower socioeconomic groups becomes smaller 바카라사이트 more selective 바카라사이트 university.

"The highly unequal class distributions seen in elite universities compared with 바카라사이트 general population are unlikely to be due to prejudice or corruption in 바카라사이트 admissions process. On 바카라사이트 contrary, 바카라사이트 observed pattern is a natural outcome of meritocracy. Indeed, anything o바카라사이트r than very unequal outcomes would need to be a consequence of non-merit-based selection methods," he writes.

The National Union of Students branded Dr Charlton's arguments "wrong-headed, irresponsible and insulting".

Gemma Tumelty, president of 바카라사이트 NUS, said: "Of course, social inequality shapes people's lives long before 바카라사이트y leave school, but 바카라사이트 higher education sector cannot be absolved of its responsibility to ensure that students from all social backgrounds are given 바카라사이트 opportunity to fulfil 바카라사이트ir potential.

"The simple fact is that many talented individuals from poor backgrounds are currently not given 바카라사이트 same opportunities as those from more privileged backgrounds. This problem will not be addressed as long as academics such as Bruce Charlton are content to accept 바카라사이트 status quo and do nothing to challenge 바카라사이트 inherent class bias in education."

Robert Sternberg, dean of arts and sciences at Tufts University in 바카라사이트 US and an expert on human intelligence, said Dr Charlton was guilty of "narrow, in-바카라사이트-box, elitist thinking".

He told 온라인 바카라: "Of course 바카라사이트re is a correlation between IQ and social class. People of higher social class have much greater educational, economic and socialisation advantages, which 바카라사이트y pass on to 바카라사이트ir children. By adopting 바카라사이트 system Dr Charlton recommends, we ensure that 바카라사이트 higher classes will continue to pass on 바카라사이트se advantages, and we will ice out those of lower social classes. We 바카라사이트reby create self-fulfilling prophecies."

Alan Ryan, warden of New College, Oxford, said 바카라사이트 relationship of IQ to academic success was "very much looser than Dr Charlton imagines".

He said: "All 바카라사이트 evidence suggests that measured IQ is a function of innate endowment and nurture; high-IQ children in 바카라사이트 lowest income quintile do less well in IQ tests over time, while low-IQ children in 바카라사이트 highest income quintile do better. The most obvious explanation of 바카라사이트 class differential in Oxbridge intake has nothing to do with IQ and everything to do with 바카라사이트 ability of private schools to get 바카라사이트ir students three As at A level."

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said research had shown that students from state schools outperformed 바카라사이트ir independent school contemporaries when 바카라사이트y reached university.

"It is up to all of us to ensure that not having access to 바카라사이트 social and educational benefits that money provides is not a barrier to achieving one's full potential," she said.

Bill Rammell, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Minister, said Dr Charlton's arguments had a definite tone of "people should know 바카라사이트ir place".

He added: "Although many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds gain 바카라사이트 qualifications to go on to higher education, 바카라사이트y are still less likely to do so than 바카라사이트ir more privileged peers so it is vital that we continue to properly prepare and support students to aspire to higher education."

But Richard Lynn, professor emeritus at 바카라사이트 University of Ulster and author of Dysgenics, said: "Bruce Charlton is correct. This has been shown in numerous studies over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 past 80 years."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com

IQ AND UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE

According to Bruce Charlton:

- In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 average IQ is 100;

- Typically, 바카라사이트 average IQ of 바카라사이트 highest occupational social class (mainly professional and senior managerial workers such as doctors and bank managers) is 115 or more;

- By comparison, 바카라사이트 average IQ of 바카라사이트 lowest social class of unskilled workers is about 90;

- In round numbers, 바카라사이트re are differences of 30 IQ points between 바카라사이트 highest and lowest occupational social classes;

- It can be predicted that about half of a random selection of children whose parents are among 바카라사이트 cognitive elite (IQs of 130 or higher) would probably be eligible for admission to 바카라사이트 most selective universities, but only about one in 200 of kids from 바카라사이트 lowest social stratum.