Press Assoc. - Thursday, May 22 04:10 am

The working classes have lower IQs than those from wealthier backgrounds and should not be expected to win places at top universities, an academic has claimed.

Bruce Charlton, reader in evolutionary psychiatry at Newcastle University, suggested that the low numbers of working-class students at elite universities was the "natural outcome" of IQ differences between classes.

In a paper shown to the Times Higher Education magazine, Dr Charlton questioned the Government's drive to get more students from poor backgrounds into top universities like Oxford and Cambridge.

He said: "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.

"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."

The fact that so few students from poor families get into Oxbridge is not down to "prejudice" but "meritocracy", he said.

The Government criticised Dr Charlton's comments. Higher education minister Bill Rammell said: "These arguments have a definite tone of 'people should know their place'.

"There are young people with talent, ability and the potential to benefit from higher education who do not currently do so. That should concern us all."

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union, said: "It should come as little surprise that people who enjoy a more privileged upbringing have a better start in life.

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

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20080522/tuk-working-class-has-lower-iq-6323e80.html

The IQ test is sham. It's been proven to be culturally biased.

The IQ test is sham. It's been proven to be culturally biased.

just because someone has gone to harvard, oxford, cambridge, yale or whatever doesn't make them any less better or smarter than those who haven't. that is why the likes of bruce charlton are elitist twats

The working class may have lower IQs because we don't have TIME to better ourselves while we're slaving away. The bigwigs have all that time on their hands!!! :mad:

to imply that people from the upper/ middle classes ONLY have the right to obtain a place at university and college, is not just absurd but total ignorance too. what kind of message does he send out to kids who want to go to university and college in the future and study hard to get their degrees? that this is only possible for you if you and your family are rich and smart? bull **** :mad:

The working class may have lower IQs because we don't have TIME to better ourselves while we're slaving away. The bigwigs have all that time on their hands!!! :mad:

working class people though are as persistent and hardworking and yes we are smart as those from the upper classes. shame though that the majority of upper class people lack common sense, are often arrogant and are out of touch with reality, compared to the rest of us

to imply that people from the upper/ middle classes ONLY have the right to obtain a place at university and college, is not just absurd but total ignorance too. what kind of message does he send out to kids who want to go to university and college in the future and study hard to get their degrees? that this is only possible for you if you and your family are rich and smart? bull **** :mad:could not have said it better myself

to imply that people from the upper/ middle classes ONLY have the right to obtain a place at university and college, is not just absurd but total ignorance too. what kind of message does he send out to kids who want to go to university and college in the future and study hard to get their degrees? that this is only possible for you if you and your family are rich and smart? bull **** :mad:
You said it, my friend!

thanks 70s show watcher and monika :)

there are many people who cannot afford to go to university- lack of money and financial support is one of those reasons why. i was fortunate enough to get a place at university because my council paid for my uni fees and because i had to pass a course, which enabled me to study my BA. intelligence isn't measured by someone's class- hell, one can be born with a silver spoon in their mouths and still they can be dumb and stupid and/or lacking in class and social skills.

this is why the education system can be be so downright cruel and so out of place. WTF has someone's class, age, sexuality, gender or race got to do with the level of intelligence he/she posseses? i believe that everyone deserves a chance to go to university- if he/she wants to learn and become not just smarter but hardworking and persistent. unfortunately, there are a lot of arrogant lecturers, college professors, who assume that because of the position they occupy, they think that that alone gives them the right to tell people what to do and that they are in the right. when really they are not

The person forgot to point out that usually poorer people don't go to college because it's so God damn expensive.

Wealth can buy you access to better education, and not having money can sometimes hinder how good of an education you can get, but a lot of times, I don't think it matters...if you're smart, you're born smart. If you're born dumb, all the over-priced education in the world won't help you.

I've seen wealthy people who were complete devoid of any intelligence, booksmarts or otherwise. And yet I know working-class people who are very smart. So this "academic" can get his ego out of his "**** don't stink" ass and look at the real world.

to imply that people from the upper/ middle classes ONLY have the right to obtain a place at university and college, is not just absurd but total ignorance too. what kind of message does he send out to kids who want to go to university and college in the future and study hard to get their degrees? that this is only possible for you if you and your family are rich and smart? bull **** :mad:
And half the degrees or diplomas out there aren't really "smart" type anyway. Artists and such...that's talent, not booksmarts.

The person forgot to point out that usually poorer people don't go to college because it's so God damn expensive.

which i why i suggested it is because of the lack of money he/she has and the lack of support and guidance they are getting for their studies, accomodation. here and in the US, the student loans company would be our first port of all. money shouldn't act as a deterent in stopping people from achieving their academic goals

Wealth can buy you access to better education, and not having money can sometimes hinder how good of an education you can get, but a lot of times, I don't think it matters...if you're smart, you're born smart. If you're born dumb, all the over-priced education in the world won't help you.

I've seen wealthy people who were complete devoid of any intelligence, booksmarts or otherwise. And yet I know working-class people who are very smart. So this "academic" can get his ego out of his "**** don't stink" ass and look at the real world.

the problem is people like himself don't live in the real world; it amazes me that whilst there are a lot of college and uni professors, who do their job well, there are some who think that because of the fact they are 'lecturers' or professors, it gives them the god given right to treat other students like crap and talk down on them, as if they are 'know-it-alls'. this ***** is probably paid £100,000 or so a year to teach, and yet he talks total crap.

they seem to forget they are not perfect and alas, just because they are knowledgable in their subject area, doesn't mean they should tell people how to do things: their job is to teach- NOT become mouthpieces for the media by uttering nonsense such as this

the problem is people like himself don't live in the real world; it amazes me that whilst there are a lot of college and uni professors, who do their job well, there are some who think that because of the fact they are 'lecturers' or professors, it gives them the god given right to treat other students like crap and talk down on them, as if they are 'know-it-alls'. this ***** is probably paid £100,000 or so a year to teach, and yet he talks total crap.

they seem to forget they are not perfect and alas, just because they are knowledgable in their subject area, doesn't mean they should tell people how to do things: their job is to teach- NOT become mouthpieces for the media by uttering nonsense such as this
Plus, they might be good at their subject, but they could still be common and dumb at other subjects. So they need to get their heads out of their rears.