I'd wish you Merry Xmas, but I'm too woke

What I've been listening to and a quick personal update

Nothing much has happened since my last post about being thrown out of the Echo and then college, but more about that later. Firstly, I want to recommend a podcast and radio programme that will interest you if you’re a follower of the outrageously over the top soap opera that is local government in Liverpool.

Inside Unite by Tortoise Media looks at how a vastly overbudget hotel in Birmingham has links to our disgraced former Mayor - who is interviewed extensively - as well as how the Beautiful Ideas Company reports raise serious questions about the integrity and honesty of certain Labour councillors.

Paradise Lost: The Rise and Fall of the Eldonian Dream went out on Radio 4 last week. Journalist Matt O’Donoghue uncovers shocking details about how the assets of a well known co-operative are no longer owned by that community.

I’d also, again, like to suggest you subscribe to the Liverpool Post who have indicated they’re also working on both these topics, but you’ll also be treated to some great long form writing about a range of topics from Hooters to noise pollution, along with a relevant piece about staff morale at my former college. A few people I’ve spoken to lately have asked if it has anything to do with the defunct Daily Post, the Echo’s old sister paper. It hasn’t, though I can see where the confusion might arise.

The Wilk vs The Echo & City of Liverpool College: Update

No news isn’t good news, I’m afraid. I was thrown out of the Echo office on Monday 7th November, sat a three hour exam at home on Wednesday 9th and went to speak to the Head of School on the Thursday. Since then, I’ve not been back. While the Head of School told me she thought the situation could be rectified by me continuing my course remotely, no arrangements were ever made for this. Instead, within an hour of leaving the building I received a text message telling me a “final disciplinary hearing” had been arranged for me to attend the following week. I asked the college explicity and repeatedly what I was being disciplined for, but they refused to answer - according to their policy this hearing could lead to dismissal and I was entitled to make statements and invite witnesses but how could I do that if I didn’t know what I was accused of? The hearing did not go ahead. I submitted a complaint detailing my treatment at the Echo but it was never acknowledged.

I’ve been receiving support from the NUJ, and we’re trying to find a solution where I can continue my course with a different provider in a way that doesn’t leave me out of pocket - I took out a student loan to pay for the course. Whatever happens though, this means I won’t be graduating on 20 January 2023 as I was expecting to - no other providers offer a ‘fast track’ option. I passed the two modules I sat on November 9th with an A and a B.

Lastly, I submitted a subject access request to Reach Plc, the owners of the Liverpool Echo, and received a set of emails and chat logs this week. Throughout this whole drama, it’s always been a worry that I’m truly a toxic person, but when I saw Echo staffers say about me:

What are you thoughts on The Wilk?

what that girl that came in the other day

Hahaha yep. She made a great video outside the office

she is the pure definition of woke nonsense

the type who would deffo glue herself on the motorway

it was quite validating. While I’ve never glued myself to anything, I totally support the aims of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion and I don’t think being woke (‘aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues’ - Merriam Webster) is a bad thing at all. Also, considering I’m at least 10 years older than most of the people I met in that office, being called a ‘girl’ has cheered me up no end, though that doesn’t really make up for the depressing realisation that these young journalists hold viewpoints you’d normally only see being spouted by right wing, reactionary boomers.

Merry Christmas and have a great new year.