Prof Jo Phoenix vs The OU - Employment Tribunal Thread 3

[ickky]

Started on 2nd October at Watford Employment Tribunal (Radius House, 51 Clarendon Rd, Watford WD17 1HP 01923 281750)

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Header should read

URGENT CURRENT CASE - Public Access Request - J Phoenix - The Open University - 3322700/2021

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Abbreviations

JP - Jo Phoenix, Claimant (C)
OU - The Open University, Respondent (R)
J - Regional Employment Judge Young
P - Panel or panel member
BC - Ben Cooper KC, Counsel for C
JM - Jane Mulcahy KC, Counsel for R

OU Departments & Networks:

HWSRA - Health & Wellbeing Strategic Research Area
FASS - Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
SPC - Dept of Social Policy & Criminology
KMi - Knowledge Media Institute
GCRN - Gender Critical Research Network

OU witnesses

PB - Dr Paraskevi Boukli, Former Senior Lecturer Criminology, Deputy Head SPC 2021-22
IF - Prof Ian Fribbance Dean of FASS
DD - Dr Deborah Drake, Senior Lecturer Criminology, Head of SPC 2018-21
LD - Dr Leigh Downes, Senior Lecturer in Criminology (in SPC), Academic Lead for EDI FASS 2019-21
CT - Catherine Tomlinson, Senior Student Advisor
LW - Louise Westmarland, Prof of Criminology, Co-Deputy Head SPC, 2018-21, Current Head SPC
MW - Prof Marcia Wilson, Dean EDI, 2020-23
CM - Caragh Molloy, Group People Director 2019-23
JD - John Domingue, Prof of Computing Science, Director KMi, 2015-22
PK - Peter Keogh, Professor Health & Society, Member RSSH
CW - Dr Christopher Williams, Senior Lecturer History
SD - Shaun Daley, Head OU’s Resourcing Hub. Head Strategic Resources, Co-Chair OU’s LGBT+ Staff Network
HBC - Helen Bowes-Catton, Lecturer Social Research Methods
NS - Nicola Snarey, Assoc Lecturer Eng Language
NatS - Natalie Starkey, Outreach & Public Engagement Officer Sch Physical Sciences, 2019-22
CT - Cath Tomlinson, Senior Student Advisor
SJ - Samantha Jacobson, Employee Relations Case Manager
RH - Richard Holliman, Prof Engaged Research, Head School Environment, Earth & Ecosystem Sciences, 2019-22. Member of Investigation Panel investigating the C’s grievance

Witness for JP:

SE - Sarah Earle, Professor Modern History Uni of Oxford, Founding member GCRN

Tribunal Tweets - https://twitter.com/tribunaltweets

TT coverage so far https://tribunaltweets.substack.com/p/professor-jo-phoenix-v-the-open-university

Thread 1 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4905118-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-2nd-october-whispers-ben-cooper?page=1

Thread 2
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4913946-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-2?page=1

I read that in Ben's tone of voice! 😂

Do we know that the OU hasn't tried to make a compensation deal with Jo, perhaps not offering recompense she deemed sufficient?

She took the decision to suspend the grievance. Actually taking responsibility.

I guess it is possible. It is also possible that Jo wants this nightmare laid bare for all to see.

I may be wrong but I think I read somewhere Jo wanted to go to ET and not to settle.

I don't think Jo would settle at this point.

I’ve appalling menopause related brain fog, so I can sympathise with forgetting every day stuff. But I can still remember professional events that are out of the ordinary and took up a lot of my time when they happened. And you could be sure that if I was to go to testify about it I would read what paperwork I had and have a bit of a think about what I recalled so I could be prepared.

Don't worry, I'm sure the judge will help us if there is confusion. She's already had to intervene in IF's evidence to clarify who he was talking about because he used the name and pronouns they (Dr Downes) was using at the time.

I think she does want to go all the way aa she has said she wants academic freedom and wants everyone to see how she has been treated.

I had also been thinking along lines. They would much rather be forced by a court of law than come to an agreement by themselves, because they are worried about how it will be received internally.

Or perhaps the remaining witnesses will cause a dramatic change and we will all realise they acted fairly after all!!

I'm resigned to the fact I'm not getting back in before lunch....literal exclusion 😭

Ickky - if so, Jo is very brave.

Yes they can, in theory.

Me too. Should we start a support group?

She is, especially in light of her history. This is a nightmare for her to go through again.

Other grievance?

OMG failure to disclose evidence.

Fucking hell!!!

What evidence? I missed that

Oh, what's this? Documents not disclosed?

What what what what?

Yes, it is brave of Jo, very very brave. Only someone very brave would have set up the GCRN in the first place given the climate of fear and allowing bullying that there is in academia about this. I know several academics who believe in the fact of two sexes in mammals and that sex matters in human society but who are scared to speak up and go out of their way to avoid discussing it.

Oooh yes. We have to decide what type of 'phobia' and bigotry we are being subjected to as a first step.

Yes, classic linguistic giveaway.

Wait till they start moving from the simple past into the past conditional: "X would have been done but I'm not going to commit myself that it actually WAS done."

See Sly Bailey at the Leveson Inquiry for a masterclass in this, if my memory serves.

So other OU staff/students raised grievances about the open letters and they proceeded with them but not Jo’s.

If those grievances were upheld I.e. it was discrimination then that supports Jo’s case.