Odgovor "Divjemu Oskarju"

Dear Divji Oskar,

On 24 April you left a questionnaire in pigeonholes of all teachers of the Department of English and signed it as “Divji Oskar”. I do not know who you are, so I am replying to you here. It is a pity that you adopted the name of a great man whose integrity and eloquence stand in such clear contrast to your own.

It is natural that teachers and students do not always agree; however, when an issue arises, it should be addressed first and foremost with the teacher concerned. Addressing the entire department instead is highly irregular, and remaining anonymous reflects a lack of maturity and the courage to stand behind one’s own words. At the end of your text, you state that we educate “great linguists and artists”. I’m afraid that teachers at this department are not qualified to educate artists. Let me add that teachers at the whole Faculty of Arts strive to educate upright individuals, those who are prepared to take responsibility for their views. This necessarily includes signing what they write and publicly share.

Your letter, a thinly concealed criticism, arrived in a glossy envelope, more suitable for a wedding invitation, with my name written with a golden felt-tip pen in a big childish script. The inner sheet of paper is decorated with ivy. Let me give you a tip: you may be more successful later in life if you use plain stationery when you want to right the wrongs of the world. 

As you have chosen Oscar Wilde as your pseudonym, you might also consider using British English, in which the term “professor” does not refer to everyone who teaches at a university. It is also rather creative for a salutation to be followed by a full stop, as is the case in your letter. Finally, given that you claim to be a university student, you should be aware that what you refer to as the “school year” is more properly called the academic year.

Well, “Oskar”, you did not pluck up the courage to sign your letter. Do you at least have the courage to come to my consultation hours and explain the purpose of your questionnaire? I would very much like to understand the background – if you dare present it openly.

Kind regards

M. Belak

lekt. mag. Mojca Belak