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Original poster

Pilgrim Tucker v Open University

57 replies

Signalbox · 01/07/2023 08:32

Another GC discrimination case against Open University.

Pilgrim Tucker is a community organiser and campaigner who supported the Grenfell Tower Residents campaign, the Grenfell Action Group. Her PhD with the OU is based on her activism.

If you google Pilgrim Tucker Crowdjustice you will find her page with the relevant information.

OP posts:
Hagosaurus · 14/10/2023 17:45

Good grief - so the OU’s current approach to these cases is to try to leverage their scale to make sure that women can’t afford to challenge them. We see it. Pilgrim, and Jo, we have your back, you won’t fail because of a lack of support. Lovely day to visit the gardens

RealityFan · 14/10/2023 16:07

Is the clown car show that is Jo Phoenix v OU likely to be repeated with Pilgrim?

I mean, other than helping her, it's the best use of money ever. There is no better comedy anywhere, not at any price, and it's making the basis of a conference about The Death Of Academia.

Melissamelisante · 14/10/2023 15:57

Bumping for Pilgrim Tucker

Manderleyagain · 10/10/2023 22:35

Ah, I see. He sounds lovely!

Manderleyagain · 10/10/2023 21:18

I looked up Chris williams the historian who was supposed to supervise her but blocked her once he found out she was gc. He's attached to HERC the harm & evidence research centre which came up in jo phoenix's case too today. They wanted to end the relationship with Richard garside because he had opinions they didn't approve of about trans women in women's prisons.

Based · 10/10/2023 17:58

Pilgrim says the Open University has again threatened her with disciplinary action. She has published her response, which is this:

Dear xxxx,

Thank you for your email explaining that the Open University is again planning to take disciplinary action against me unless I remove information from my crowdfunding page.

Unfortunately however I am not currently in a position to respond, as:

- I have not yet received the letter of response from the Open University’s solicitor, although it is many months since my claims were communicated to the university by my solicitor, and the deadline for your response has now passed.

- The Open University has still not replied to my request for a review of my data subject access request (DSAR), made over 2 months ago on 07/08/2023, nor to my email chasing this request for review sent on 10/09/2023. As noted in my request the DSAR data issued by the OU neglected to include emails regarding me exchanged between relevant staff, and also contained a number of redactions that required justification as to which exemptions (as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018) were applied. I note your inclusion of 1 of the email threads cited in my request, but that your removal of redactions has not been applied to the 3rd email in the thread, and despite my request for this information I have as yet still not received the explanation for those redactions, nor for any of the other redactions that have been queried. This is particularly concerning given that earlier this year the ICO upheld my complaint regarding the OUs handling of my data after the OU failed to provide DSAR data until 8 months after my DSAR request was made, 5 months after the maximum legally permitted deadline.

It is disappointing that the OU is again threatening disciplinary action against me while concurrently failing to respond to legal requirements and timeframes, as of course these failures on the OU’s part put me at a significant disadvantage in any proceedings. However once I have received the above information from the Open University I will be in a position to respond.

Kind regards
Pilgrim Tucker

(10/10/2023)

RealityFan · 04/10/2023 15:56

The old adage that only two things are certain in life, death and taxes, needs to be amended to three, adding legal fights against TRA.

Based · 04/10/2023 15:53

They should offer 3-packs on Open University plants.

Xiaoxiong · 04/10/2023 12:06

Just pledged.

And on the back of that other thread linking the recent New Yorker article, I cant believe that anyone looking at Pilgrim Tucker's history of community organising and activism with marginalised communities could think that she is a Trojan horse for conservative values, funded by American right wing fundamentalist Christians.

RealityFan · 04/10/2023 11:50

So, every penny really counts? I wandered around the garden centre and payed for a Jo Phoenix special edition ceramic pot, which is currently in use in Watford.

I'm wondering whether I should purchase a Pilgrim Tucker garden rake, was just concerned that she appears shorter of her target than Jo was at this time left to go.

Original poster
Signalbox · 04/10/2023 11:33

RealityFan · 04/10/2023 11:18

You have to reach the threshold, all or nothing?

I think that only applies to the initial target. She's onto the stretch target now.

OP posts:
HandShoe · 04/10/2023 11:20

Thanks for posting about this. Have done a little gardening 🌻

RealityFan · 04/10/2023 11:18

You have to reach the threshold, all or nothing?

OP posts:
Original poster
Signalbox · 04/10/2023 10:57

Just bumping this. There was an update on Pilgrim’s crowdfund page (crowdjustice) yesterday…

Dear supporters,

Firstly, I’d like to thank you very much for your contributions which have been crucial to the progress of my case. I will be honouring your support by continuing my work to shine a light on discriminatory practices at the Open University, and to ensure that it is held accountable for the unlawful conduct documented in my claim.

Following the launch of my crowd-funder the OU subjected me to disciplinary proceedings, claiming I had boiught the university into disrepute, and it’s only now that process is concluded that I can update you. Apologies for being unable to do this sooner.

I now need to ask for your support again, to help raise the money needed to cover legal costs.

Understanding the gender critical aspects of my claim:

There are strict time limits for initiating legal action following an act of discrimination. I did not take legal advice within that period so was unable to make a claim under discrimination law for the unfair and bullying treatment that occurred due to my GC beliefs.

However, the longer periods allowed in contract law mean I can act on it within the breach of contract claim.

I did manage to lodge the disability discrimination case in time, so that aspect can be addressed under discrimination law.

However, my GC beliefs played a fundamental role in my treatment at the OU, so I’ve made a short video explaining this:

The process:

Over the next few weeks I need to instruct my barrister to draft the particulars of the case.

The Information Commissioners Office upheld my complaint, made after the OU failed to fulfil my data subject access request (DSAR) within the 3-month maximum permitted deadline (only providing documents over 8 months after I made the request).

You will see in the video that the documents I belatedly received from the OU were heavily redacted in key places. Nor did the OU include important emails, regarding me, that had been exchanged between staff.

The OU has now failed to respond, both to my request for a review and to my request for an explanation of which GDPR provisions they used to justify redacting certain information.
Their poor practice in this area has caused difficulties and delays, leaving me lacking crucial information in time for procedural deadlines and this has further added to my legal costs.

Costs:

I need to raise £9000 within the next 6 weeks if I am to take the case to court and I must again ask for your help to do this.

Donate if you can.

Share the video, and my crowd-funder, as widely as possible.

Follow me on twitter
@ PilgrimTucker

Thank you once again for your support.

OP posts:
Imnobody4 · 22/09/2023 10:24

RealityFan · 22/09/2023 10:17

Everyday you think to yourself, this is as bad as it gets, it can't get worse. Everyday you realise you thought wrongly.

What was it Einstein said ‐
The Difference Between Stupidity and Genius Is That Genius Has Its Limits

RealityFan · 22/09/2023 10:17

Everyday you think to yourself, this is as bad as it gets, it can't get worse. Everyday you realise you thought wrongly.

OP posts:
Based · 22/09/2023 08:52

Pilgrim Tucker has just been given Schrodinger's disciplinary warning by Open University https://twitter.com/PilgrimTucker/status/1704843592928235790

https://twitter.com/PilgrimTucker/status/1704843592928235790

wonderstuff · 21/08/2023 17:15

Thanks for putting this up. Frustrating that we’re in the position where fundraising is needed to secure basic rights but here we are.

Imnobody4 · 21/08/2023 17:03

Just bumping. Pilgrim could use some support.

MTCoffeePot · 02/07/2023 17:09

I hope Pilgrim meets her target. Her research sounded really interesting and important so it would be great pity if she couldn't continue. As a previous poster has said, gender identity politics should not be impacting on education. I'm so disappointed with the Open University over this case and that of Jo Phoenix.

TheBiologyStupid · 02/07/2023 00:36

FFS! You'd think with the Jo Phoenix tribunal coming up the OU might have learned something, but apparently not. Will try to do some gardening next week.

margarita · 01/07/2023 13:32

The supervisor she's talking about is also a Green Party member.

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