Prof Jo Phoenix vs The OU - Employment Tribunal Thread 4

[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

Ask for access link and pin and please give your name and address in the email as they check when you connect to the tribunal.

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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
MW - Prof Marcia Wilson, Dean EDI, 2020-23
CM - Caragh Molloy, Group People Director 2019-23
LD - Dr Leigh Downes, Senior Lecturer in Criminology (in SPC), Academic Lead for EDI FASS 2019-21
DD - Dr Deborah Drake, Senior Lecturer Criminology, Head of SPC 2018-21
CT - Catherine Tomlinson, Senior Student Advisor
LW - Louise Westmarland, Prof of Criminology, Co-Deputy Head SPC, 2018-21, Current Head SPC
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

Thread 3 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4917480-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-3

So retweeting is just LD sharing information not endorsement by her

BC: it does say to deny a platform
LD: I do see the word platform but it doesn't say de-platforming.

Is this some parallel universe where words have fluid meaning?

BC - you retweeted this from an OU student which says of the GCRN 'We have Equality Act. You can fuck right off with all this transphobic bullshit'. That's abusive and defamatory isn't it?
LD - I don't agree

BC: You were attempting to do what you were trying to do since 2019 to make the OU a place where JP was not welcome. By deliberately contributing to and encouraging a body of censure to build.

LD: No

BC: Those are all my qs.

Please please ask if she respects GC beliefs. Because she clearly doesn't.

That student's 'all your peers have rejected you comment', is very 'nice university you have here. Be a shame if anything happened to it'.

BC finished with LD

Yes a gender fluid world where bodies are empty until gender fills them up and words mean whatever LD wants then to mean

Panel q. LD says there is an ethics committee for approving research but she doesn't have anything to do with that.

The fact that LD is not involved with ethics may surprise no one.

Judge asking LD what they meant by concerns. LD asks Judge to be specific.

He’s done very well. I was done with LD very shortly after LD started.

Judge asking questions now.
What do you mean when you said you had 'concerns'? You used that word a lot.
LD asks for an example. Judge sighs...

Do you want the university to be a welcoming and inclusive environment for people who believe in biological fact?

Obviously not, so only inclusive to one group, then.

LD: Does that answer your q judge?
J: Yes, Sorry - I do have some more.
LD: That's fine

LD waffle waffle waffle pause, does that answer your question judge?

Judge yes, I'm afraid I have some more.

LD Okay, that's fine!

J: Have you read the Reindorf report
LD: No I haven't

Why not? Why haven't you read the Reindorf report?

AAARGH!

Bloody hell.

LD - does that answer your question judge?
J - (pause) yes, I may have some more.
LD - oh! It's fine.

I’m sure the judge is delighted LD is fine with the judge asking more questions in the judges own court 😳

J: The open letter. You were asked how you got it and in what form? Do you know who drafted it?

LD: I do not, no (or know)

Judge - why did you sign the letter if you weren't in agreement with it?

LD Solidarity, I was on Holiday.

She keeps on saying 'a safe inclusive work and study environment' but she's creating the opposite of that for GC women and men and scientists.

J: If you weren't in agreement why did you sign.

LD: In solidarity and support to help create safe and inclu working environment. I was on holiday.

I was on holiday (bingo).

I signed the letter to make the place a safer and more inclusive place even though I didn't agree with it...