Write-On Mess

Universities told to ignore bad spelling

- Paul Donnelley

Universities will no longer insist on students being able to spell because it is “elitist”.

Professors are being told that an insistence on literacy discriminates against ethnic minorities and pupils from schools in deprived areas.

The Office for Students says it needs to close the gap between white and black students getting good degrees.

It also wants to help prevent “poor” students from dropping out.

At Hull University a policy has been introduced, saying that a requirement to read and write properly is “homogenous, North European, white, male, and elite”.