The Lord Speaker, Rt. Hon. Baroness D'Souza visits Culham

 

 

On Friday 18th November the European School had the privilege and pleasure of welcoming the Rt. Hon. Baroness d’Souza, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, to address its S6 and S7 students.

 

 

Baroness d'Souza's visit was organised by the ‘Peers in Schools’ programme designed to increase young people's awareness of the constitutional and everyday role the House of Lords plays in the legislative procedures of the UK parliament. 

 

In addition to her presentation, the Baroness had to bat away some tough questioning from students on issues such as university fees, the European Union, non-democratic patronage in the House of Lords, equality of opportunity in political and professional life, civil liberties and ID cards, misleading charisma in the political arena.  

 

Asked who her hero or heroine was in politics or public life, Baroness d’Souza recognised the greatness of figures like Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi but also the unsung heroism of the thousands of people who have made breathtaking personal sacrifices to struggle against oppression, dictatorship and injustice.

 

Baroness d’Souza  told her audience she was struck by the quality of the questions coming from the floor and had thoroughly enjoyed her grilling. For their part, students and staff commented that they were bowled over by the Baroness' presentation. They deeply respected the honesty and candour of the dialogue that ensued.

 

“I would certainly send my children to the European School,” the Lord Speaker told its Headteacher, Mr Sharron, paying tribute to her sense of the high quality of education still uniquely offered at Culham.

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