First published by Hugh Muir · 22/11/2011 · guardian.co.uk
Who will free us from this turbulent chef, is the cry at New College, Oxford, as officials gear up for yet more scrutiny in a long-running race discrimination case. The college faced accusations from Gregory Lewis, once the acting head chef there, that he was dismissed on racial grounds. His claims were dismissed by a tribunal. But then he hardly got a fair shake. Who says so? An appeals tribunal. Its judgment makes for fascinating reading because here we have discussion as to whether a history don, Dr David Parrott, intended racial slight when he wrote a note comparing Lewis to Dr Pangloss, Voltaire's unwise, unworldly character from the classic novel Candide – he who sees that "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds". We see claims upheld that Lewis's representatives were prevented from representing him properly by tribunal panel members who didn't appear to understand the legalities of the case. We see a judge who refused to countenance the basic argument that "being lazy and stupid" is indeed a ruinous stereotype that has been levelled at black Caribbean men. And who in later seeking to justify that stance, compounded the offence: "They may have a more 'relaxed' approach to life than other ethnic groups but that is not in any way a derogatory assessment," he said by way of justification. We see suggestions that college officials came across as "smug and superior". And so, unsurprisingly perhaps, we see an edict that New College, which denies wrongdoing, must face the damaging race allegations at tribunal all over again.
Hugh Muir
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