Prof Jo Phoenix vs The OU - Employment Tribunal Thread 6

[ickky]

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

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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
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
PK - Peter Keogh, Professor Health & Society, Member RSSH
CW - Dr Christopher Williams, Senior Lecturer History
KS - Kevin Shakesheff. PVC for Research and Innovation
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
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 - twitter.com/tribunaltweets

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

Prof Jo Phoenix Witness Statement (scroll to bottom of page and download)

jophoenix.substack.com/p/phoenix-v-open-university?sd=pf

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

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

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

Thread 4 www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4918479-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-4

Thread 5 https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4919223-prof-jo-phoenix-vs-the-ou-employment-tribunal-thread-5

LW and JP were friendly before she joined the OU, attending family parties as JP was at Durham Uni with LW's daughter.

I wonder if it was just not getting the Job that soured it for LW.

I think I'd gone into Anne of Green Gables mode

There seems to be a theme emerging here in all these cross-examinations:

BC to witness: You said X.
Witness: No, I didn't!
BC: Here is the piece of paper where you wrote it down.

I have total admiration for BC's brilliance and command of his brief, but with some of these OU witnesses, it feels like shooting fish in a barrel.

LW: I may have quietly reminded someone about not swearing. Didn't shout

BC: you hadn't been told not to swear in mtgs. Just outside, when on public show

Does to me too. Bow down to the one true faith or be dealt with as a heretic. Nasty.

I love it when they deny something and BC immediately goes to VT for confirmation. 😂

OH OH the minutes are wrong, not LW.

Incidentally, this was before the meeting started.

How convenient that the Minutes are wrong.

BC goes to minutes of mtg OU staff were relying on . DD wants to remind staff c language of mtgs outside SPCC dept

LW: Well I remember a mtg that we told this c any mtg. Can't remember who said it or when it was said.

That extraordinary memory again

BC: I am interested in the quality of your memory Prof W..

BC questioning her selective memory. 😂

Don't they agree the minutes of the previous meeting?

BC: I am interested in the quality of your memory Prof W..

😆😆😆😆😆

BC: Let me suggest you are seeking to retrospectively provide an untrue justification for admonishing JP

Alleged events 😂

I reckon it's simply good old can't-be-bothered-itis.

The Judge should remind him about the language he's using, mind you.

BC - I'm just asking you to use your memory LW

No, I think the wonderful deb drake will throw her under the bus as soon as she can

LW I didn't realise it was such a big deal - (essex cancellation)

BC - Really

Always been the process that I have known, but then we are dealing with people who probably identify that the Minutes were or weren't taken and are or aren't accurate depending of the whether the moon is in Aquarius.

Honestly, you can see how extremism takes hold when listening to these witnesses and how witch burnings and the like happen.

No, I think the wonderful deb drake will throw her under the bus as soon as she can

It wouldn't surprise me if she threw them all under.

Sorry if I typed LM instead of LW. I have caught small child's bug and have a fever I think. Or maybe it's just the OU testimony that's making me think I have a fever. Either way, I don't feel 100%. I feel a bit pathetic given how brilliant BC is when ill, but BC I am (sadly) not.

I cannot find the thermometer.

Maybe I could identify as BC?

BC: before the mtg you knew JP had had an event cancelled at Essex

LW: can't remember

LW: I didn't realise it was such a big deal

BC: Really Prof W, How often does that happen

LW: I didn't realise the significance of it for JP or freedom of speech. I hadn't clocked it was about beliefs. Not many of us at the time realised it was impt c freedom of speech and all the trouble it was going to cause in the future

BC: You are dissembling. You knew what the conf was about

Identify as Ben Cooper? I'm not sure the people around me are ready for that level of competence!

Me neither Eresh DD will save her own skin and the others will realise the cost of their loyalty to her and be shocked to the core.