Powerline: A Wall Street Journal reader forwarded James Freeman a copy of the letter received by the reader’s daughter from Brown University Director of Admissions Logan Powell. The reader, Freeman reports, is still trying to make sense of the letter. The reader’s bright daughter had already received news of her acceptance when a letter arrived that was addressed to her “Parent/Guardian.”
Freeman reports:
Oddly, the note referred to the accepted student not as “she” but as “they.” Dean Powell’s letter also stated that our reader’s daughter had no doubt worked hard and made positive contributions to “their” school and community. Our reader reports that his perplexed family initially thought that Brown had made a word-processing error. That was before they listened to a voice mail message from the school congratulating his daughter and referring to her as “them.”
Surely you can guess the rest of the story. As a journalist, however, Freeman sought an explanation: MORE
In the article, the response from the University stated, “While the grammatical construction may read as unfamiliar to some, it has been adopted by many newsrooms and other organizations as a gender-inclusive option.”
It may read as unfamiliar because it is incorrect English. You would fail a High School standardized English writing test.
They might have tried “Our new student”, but that may have required graduate level Engrish”
It is sad to see educators place more importance on an ideological fad than the rules of grammar. But I guess if it is OK to self-identify as whatever sex you feel like being today, it is OK to self-identify as an educated person or even an educator.
Side note: I find it interesting to find that the use of they and their in similar circumstances has usage examples almost 600 years old. This isn’t the same thing as the ideological cretins’ use, but close. Here’s what the OED has to say about it:
(My bold for emphasis.)
The above OED clip is from the entry for their.
They be gay. It’s the dystopian soft pedaling label for the psychologically damaged gender confused demoniacs who seem to be getting special treatment at the expense of all others.
F^#k Brown. An over priced community baby sitting service. They may be confused about sexual orientation but I am not. There is normal and the rest (perverts).
Isn’t Brown the ‘university’ that ruined Emma Watson?
So sad.
Well, if they sent their kid there after this they’re no better than the dumb ass administration.
If kids still used Dick and Jane reader books and leftist weren’t in charge of American education, this would be a non-issue.
Unfortunately, Dick and Jane have a completely different context in 2017.
IIRC, Brown is one of the “I-Me” League institutions.
The story had a sad ending; their daughter will attend Brown University.
Will this bullshit ever end? I guess not. It’s only the beginning.
How would Cousin It be referred to?
What verb form do you use with a singular “they”? “They is going to Brown in the fall.” “They needs to get their book for English class.”
An individual using a plural pronoun insults people with multiple personalities.