Academic Freedom, Harassment and GC academics - ask me any questions

[ProfJoPhoenix]

Hi Mumsnetters

Jo Phoenix here - as in the academic cancelled by Essex and harassed by colleagues at the OU. I decided to join mumsnet because I know that several women here are supportive of what it is that we (GC academics) are going through and dealing with. I thought I would start a thread - a sort of ask me any question thread. I'll be making an announcement on twitter (@JoPhoenix1) on Sunday morning that you might find interesting. What's happened to Kathleen Stock has left all of us reeling and I am going to do something that, I hope, will help. Watch this space.

Hello Jo,
Academic here and very grateful to you and others such as Kathleen. It’s important that you know how many of us here support you and are hugely appreciative of your work.
Eyes peeled 👀

So happy to see this thread. I contacted the VC at my uni about the deafening silence from academics following the threats against Kathleen Stock. He wrote back saying he has received many, many emails from staff horrified by what is going on but too scared to publicly defend Kathleen. I've started coming out of the shadows and in my dept there is a mix of, what I can only describe as gender zealots, and everyone else. Trouble is, everyone else is silent so the ideologues are emboldened. I used to think their fanaticism came from a place of genuine care for trans people but I really don't think so now. It's cynical jumping on the bandwagon to bolster their visibility and profile and they get to bully people for free. It has made me want to leave tbh but I am loathe to let them win.

Just as men want to validated by women I think some academics feel the need to be validated (and "liked") by their students

I don't give a fuck whether they 'like' me or not as long as I am not bullied in my evaluations.

Yes, there is a warm fuzziness getting emails saying 'you were the best teacher ever' or similar and it's always uplifting when a student connects with my teaching and the ideas I am asking them to consider, but very few of us are in it for the fan clubs and no more than any other person-centered occupation.

Have a look at some of the university threads posted on MN. The parents and students are very aware that university is about a young person's opportunity to have experiences, have fun and earn a degree that will make them money. It's all about what the university can offer.

Teaching has been reduced to a customer service where the paying recipients of this service often don't want to be challenged, have very fragile egos, often don't have the capacity to get the high marks they expect and who often blame their lecturers when they don't do as well as they think they should.

Honestly - it really is about avoiding being hated more than wanting to be validated. I do think though that this is why so many of my colleagues who are battle-weary women for whom life has thrown violence, abuse and hardship turn into bots when it comes to appeasing the slavering masses. We need work as much as anyone else. I guess this could be framed as 'validation' but it is more about survival.

Just registering my interest in this and place marking. Thank you for posting, I will keep my eyes peeled and will be back.

I hope the letter signed by 2000+ people has given KS some feeling of being supported.

Hi jo, welcome and thankyou

I work in the biomedical sphere, but in an organisation that is partially captured, so speaking up is v tricky.

Are you getting much support from your biomedical colleagues? What can we do to bring them more into the sphere?

We have been waiting for a media breakthrough for a long time. Do you think the Nolan Podcast and publication of David Thompson's article on capture of BBC and Ofcom is this tipping point, in enabling more public debate? We are starting to see slightly more discussion from our public broadcaster, but the background of prior capture exposed by Nolan needs to be brought to more prominence in my opinion.

Why does this relate to academia? Because the cultural context in which we all sit is playing into the below brilliantly phrased by a PP:

Teaching has been reduced to a customer service where the paying recipients of this service often don't want to be challenged, have very fragile egos, often don't have the capacity to get the high marks they expect and who often blame their lecturers when they don't do as well as they think they should.

Thank you for being brave from this academic and (as of this week) former UCU member. Looking forward to tomorrow, but also somewhat nervous about it.

All power to you Jo! Looking forward to the big reveal

Hello, @ProfJoPhoenix! Thank you for joining MN. I have no questions right now but am following the chat and am interested in what you have to say.

I should also say that I support you.

Thanks, Joody :)

I just want to say that I don't actually blame the students for this. They have been brought up in an individualistic and neoliberal society where their only real knowledge of education is something that is instrumental and commodified and they have been carefully crafted as consumers in a hyper-capitalist world where everything has a price and is branded; including education. Social media is a terrifying cesspit where they are inculcated into group-think and where they learn to fear being different at least in meaningful and tangible ways that go beyond 'style'. They have been told that they can be anything they want and, importantly, many have really, really not been taught to be resilient - and we offer few opportunities for real resilience - places where they can really feel safe and secure to explore themselves and their worlds. Often they are spurred on by anxious parents who want the best for them but confuse this with paying for an education because they think (and know - this is not a fantasy) that for many young people this is the only way to future financial security (but many don't make this even with good degrees). I'd hate to be growing up in this world.

Not that this precludes agency and some do 'get it', but they are often equally as scared (and with good reason) to put their heads above the parapet. Sometimes, though, you can see real critical thinking (not just rantings about social justice, transphobia, whorephobia and SWERFS) in their writing and I guess, where I can see that my teaching has turned a light bulb on, that is somewhat validating - but it also feels like a big responsibility in some ways.

@YetAnotherSpartacus - yes, totally. I see that too.

For me, one of the huge responsibilities of our generation is to create an environment within which these students can give reign to critical thinking.

Currently, as you say, we have not given them the tools, as a society. We have not supported their education properly. Neither have we given them the space and freedom and support to argue against the zeitgeist. Or to deal with the internet - but I guess, we don't know how really. It is the issue of our age perhaps!

I think we have a responsibility as a society to do that.

I am not blaming academics either. I say this, as someone who does not work in academia, so easy for me to say. But I do think, as parents, sending kids to university, we need to demand more of the insitutions to support freedom of viewpoint and expression - somehow! I hope we can turn this tide, huge and ferocious, and yes exhausting, as it is!

and the SWERF thing FFS - when did it become ok to say sex is work? Who started that? It really really depresses me.

and sorry all - just ranting at the air now :) Not at anyone in particular :)

Very happy to see you here Jo.
As an OU and Goldsmiths alumna, it has been very disheartening to see how captured both these institutions are.
I did consider applying for jobs at Goldsmiths but just couldn't face the possible lip service that would have to be done.
Looking forward to what you have in store for us tomorrow!

No questions but would like to thank you and Dr Stock. It is due to her kindness to a friend of mine some time ago who can't access facilities (at Bristol University as they have all been made mixed sex) that helped me pluck up the courage to contact my MP, who is one of the few to speak up for Dr S this week.

Like in many unis, the situation at Bristol Uni hasn't improved, and many female students are too scared to say anything to challenge in tutorials or about Uni policies. Everyone can all see the abuse you get. Good luck for tomorrow...

Hello Jo - another one who would like to express solidarity with you and also of course with Kathleen Stock.
Will be really interested to hear what you have to say tomorrow and hoping with fingers crossed that this is some kind of turning point where we reach sunnier uplands in our universities. I think others have asked the questions I would have put to you already.

Will be watching with interest. I'm an academic and left UCU months ago because of the increasing misogyny.

I was considering going back to academia (I’m currently in the private sector) but I’ve decided I can’t.

I wonder how many more people they’re losing (or not attracting).

Hi Jo

Can you spill now it’s officially Sunday morning?

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/200-academics-tell-of-death-threats-and-abuse-as-battle-rages-for-free-speech-hp99fnzjh

Could be this? I can’t find a share token sorry

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a62dde74-2ec1-11ec-98f2-b73d74f1f44d?shareToken=f19c5280a3c4ca0287785114cb45245a

“Jo Phoenix, 57, a professor of criminology, is preparing to launch a test case at an employment tribunal against the Open University for allegedly failing to protect her from a “public campaign of harassment that has made my working life unbearable”

It says Jo Phoenix is preparing to launch a test case at employment tribunal against OU for failing to protect her from harrassment at work.

Thank you for share token.

@BettyFilous

It says Jo Phoenix is preparing to launch a test case at employment tribunal against OU for failing to protect her from harrassment at work.

Shovel at the ready in case of need.