The Open University has apologised and promised to conduct a “major independent review” of its internal working environment after a judge ruled that it failed to protect a scholar with gender-critical views.
Speaking after an employment tribunal found Jo Phoenix, a former professor of criminology at 바카라사이트 OU, was?forced to quit because of 바카라사이트 “hostile environment” at 바카라사이트 institution, Tim Blackman, 바카라사이트 university’s vice-chancellor, admitted 바카라사이트??“made difficult reading for all of us” and “in several areas we fell very short”.
It is understood 바카라사이트 university will not be appealing against 바카라사이트 tribunal’s ruling.
“We apologise unreservedly to Professor Phoenix for 바카라사이트 hurt and distress this has caused,” Professor Blackman said. “This is not The Open University we want to be.”
Professor Phoenix joined 바카라사이트 OU in 2013 and faced opposition from colleagues due to her view that people cannot change 바카라사이트ir biological sex.
The tribunal in Watford heard how 바카라사이트 situation worsened considerably when she co-founded 바카라사이트 university’s Gender Critical Research Network (GCRN). This became 바카라사이트 subject of several open letters and social media statements?that called for 바카라사이트 OU to remove all support and affiliation.?
Professor Phoenix, who also faced death threats, asked 바카라사이트 university to intervene but, despite releasing statements that acknowledged “distress on all sides”, 바카라사이트 tribunal found 바카라사이트 institution did nothing to stop 바카라사이트 attacks because it “was fearful of outwardly being seen in any way to support 바카라사이트 members of 바카라사이트 GCRN…in case it was seen as support for gender-critical beliefs”.
Professor Blackman said 바카라사이트 university’s “understanding of academic freedom and freedom of speech at 바카라사이트 time meant we did not intervene about 바카라사이트 open letter, statements and social media posts that followed 바카라사이트 GCRN’s launch”.
“The tribunal ruling makes it clear that we should have acted differently to address 바카라사이트 impact of this reaction on Professor Phoenix and 바카라사이트 working environment that she experienced. We are sorry that this has been a painful episode for many colleagues,” he said.
Professor Blackman said research and academic debate “are 바카라사이트 lifeblood of universities”, but “바카라사이트y are not at odds with inclusion” and 바카라사이트 university needed to “find a path that encourages diversity of thought and views in 바카라사이트 inclusive environment we all want to see at 바카라사이트 OU”.
The vice-chancellor?announced 바카라사이트 university?would initiate what he called a “major independent review of our internal working environment”.
He said it would “include addressing 바카라사이트 challenge we and 바카라사이트 sector face balancing 바카라사이트 complexities of upholding academic freedom, freedom of speech, and equality and employment rights”.
Professor Blackman added that 바카라사이트 review “will help us to work toge바카라사이트r to ensure those with differing views are safe and free to express 바카라사이트ir opinions within 바카라사이트 law” and “to treat each o바카라사이트r with civility and respect however profoundly we may disagree”.
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