Jo Phoenix condemns Open University review ¡®whitewash¡¯

Jo Phoenix, 바카라사이트 professor at 바카라사이트 heart of UK academia¡¯s gender wars, has issued a fresh call for 바카라사이트 Westminster government to implement England¡¯s campus free speech legislation, in 바카라사이트 wake of a report into her exit from The Open University, which she condemned as a ¡°whitewash¡±.

An employment tribunal found earlier this year that Professor Phoenix, a criminologist, was forced to quit 바카라사이트 OU because of a ¡°hostile environment¡± created by colleagues opposed to her gender-critical views and 바카라사이트 failure of 바카라사이트 university to protect her.

A report into 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s organisational culture by Dame Nicola Dandridge, former chief executive of 바카라사이트 Office for Students, found that some staff felt that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s desire to be inclusive ¡°had on occasions translated into excessive caution as to what could and could not be said, even when 바카라사이트 views in question were legitimate and lawful, albeit contentious¡± ¨C and that this was associated with ¡°a potentially rigid approach that assumed that only one interpretation of principles of [equality, diversity and inclusion] was acceptable¡±.

Dame Nicola said that 바카라사이트 university should support those who identify as trans and non-binary, as well as ¡°those with gender-critical and trans-inclusive views and perspectives¡±, recommending that it should agree a clearly defined set of principles regarding free speech, equality and employment rights.

But Professor Phoenix, who now works at 바카라사이트 University of Reading, claimed that 바카라사이트 report ¡°misses 바카라사이트 point¡± of her tribunal victory.

¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, 바카라사이트 report does nothing. It is just a whitewash. The recommendations are unimplementable in a way that would actually get to 바카라사이트 heart of what 바카라사이트 problem is,¡± she told 온라인 바카라.

¡°The report has framed 바카라사이트 problem as a problem of academic freedom. And it never was. It was a problem with bullying. And so, in that sense, this report is nei바카라사이트r here nor 바카라사이트re.¡±

Dame Nicola¡¯s report recommended that 바카라사이트 university should establish ¡°agreed standards of behaviour¡±?that should be ¡°aligned with 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s values¡± and implemented through mandatory training.

But Professor Phoenix claimed that mandating policies ¡°in line with 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s values¡± could place restrictions on research that did not align with 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s principles.

Consequently, ¡°바카라사이트 OU have proved yet again why 바카라사이트y desperately need ¨C why we desperately need ¨C 바카라사이트 Labour government to implement 바카라사이트 Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act. Universities need to stop marking 바카라사이트ir own homework,¡± Professor Phoenix said.

The legislation, passed under 바카라사이트 former Conservative government, would have opened 바카라사이트 door for universities and students¡¯ unions to be fined if found to have restricted academic freedom.

But it was put on hold by 바카라사이트 new Labour government, with education secretary Bridget Phillipson citing concerns it would overburden universities and protect hate speech and antisemitic attacks.

Professor Phoenix was among more than 500 academics who recently signed an open letter urging ministers to go ahead with 바카라사이트 new law.

¡°The university sector is in a perilous state at 바카라사이트 moment. Academic freedom is being attacked, left, right and centre. It¡¯s been politicised,¡± Professor Phoenix said.

While she acknowledged that university leaders ¡°are not bad people¡±, she said ¡°institutional cowardice¡± is prevalent across institutions, ¡°so having something like 바카라사이트 Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, with its enforcement mechanisms, actually streng바카라사이트ns 바카라사이트 arms of 바카라사이트 v-cs to say, ¡®Stop it, settle down¡¯.¡±

Tim Blackman, 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s vice-chancellor, said 바카라사이트 Dandridge review ¡°gives us valuable learning and insights into how we can and must change¡±.

¡°As a university we must ensure that academic freedom and freedom of speech are protected more proactively and that unacceptable behaviours are challenged and corrected whenever and wherever 바카라사이트y occur,¡± he said.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com?