Thursday, October 21, 2021




UK: Law student, 29, sues university for dragging her through disciplinary after she said 'women have vaginas' during seminar on transgender issues

A Scottish law student who was investigated for saying 'women have vaginas' during an online seminar on transgender issues is suing her university for an alleged breach of the Equality Act, MailOnline can reveal.

Lisa Keogh, 29, was investigated by Abertay University in Dundee after classmates complained that she made 'inappropriate comments' during a seminar which 'could be construed as discriminatory'.

But after a two-month probe, which took place while the mother of two underwent her final year exams this year, the university's disciplinary board decided not to uphold the misconduct charge against her after finding there was no evidence that she had discriminated against anyone.

In a series of tweets today, the mature student announced that she is now seeking compensation from Abertay University for the 'stress caused at the most crucial part of my university career'.

MailOnline can also reveal that Miss Keogh's legal team, MML Legal Dundee, believe that the university is in breach of the Equality Act 2010 by pursuing her for 'expressing her gender critical beliefs'.

In a statement, she said: 'I can confirm that my solicitors MML Legal Dundee have raised an action by me against Abertay University, Dundee. As this matter is now in Court, I cannot discuss the merits of the case.

'However, I can confirm that I am seeking compensation from them for undertaking a disciplinary process against me for expressing certain gender critical beliefs, which my legal team believe was a breach of the Equality Act 2010 and an infringement of my ECHR rights of freedom of expression.'

An Abertay spokesman told MailOnline today: 'I can confirm the university has received a letter from Ms Keogh's solicitor. We won't be making any further comment at this time.'

Miss Keogh was formally charged with 'making offensive comments and behaving in a disrespectful manner during class discussions'.

The charge also claimed she had 'behaved in a disrespectful manner', despite being 'reminded about the university's policy on conduct.'

However the board said that, after reviewing the recordings made available from the lesson, it had found 'no evidence of discrimination'. It also found that the student had 'not intentionally shouted in class'.

'As a result, the board found there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations made against you on your behaviour in class and, therefore, decided to not uphold the charge of misconduct,' the board added.

Miss Keogh previously said she was the victim of a 'modern day witchhunt' and that she was 'targeted because of her gender critical views'. She called the complaints 'groundless' and the process 'needlessly cruel'.

Speaking about what caused the complaint, she told the Daily Mail in May: 'I was asked to define what a woman was and I said someone with a vagina. A biological fact, I thought - and still think - but apparently it is now unacceptable to say it.

*******************************************

Nikki Haley Reminds VA Voters: 'Up to Us to Remind Them Parents Have the Final Say in Child’s Education'

Nikki Haley's issue advocacy group, Stand for America, released an ad two weeks ahead of Election Day reminding parents what's at stake in the Virginia gubernatorial race.

Fox News' Houston Keene reported first on the thirty-second ad, "You're a parent," which delves into the journey of parenthood, including the role a parent plays in a child's education.

The ad also features warnings about the state of education in Virginia due to Critical Race Theory (CRT) and also includes a line uttered from Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Terry McAuliffe, during last month's second debate, to call on parents to take action. "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach," McAuliffe had said at the debate.

A narrator in the ad directs parents to "tell Terry McAuliffe he's wrong on education because you're a parent and parents show up."

"Union bosses and liberal activists think they know what’s best for students in Virginia. It’s up to us to remind them that parents have the final say in their child’s education," Haley told Townhall in a statement.

McAuliffe's comments were made weeks ago, with his Republican opponent, Glenn Younkin, seizing on them immediately to feature in campaign ads. And then, just earlier this week, McAuliffe released an ad claiming that Youngkin took his words out of context, which Youngkin then immediately countered with, as Landon reported.

CNN's Chris Cillizza has warned in a headline that the "ad reveals how worried Terry McAuliffe is about the Virginia governor's race."

Also on Tuesday, Youngkin held an event in Burke with Jason Miyares and Winsome Sears, the Republican candidates for attorney general and lieutenant governor, respectively. The event, which drew a large overflow crowd, had hundreds in attendance.

At the event, Youngkin announced that he is calling on an investigation into the Loudoun County School Board after a biological male in a skirt allegedly raped two different victims.

Earlier today, Monmouth Poll released results showing that McAuliffe and Youngkin are tied among Virginia registered voters with 46 percent support each; McAuliffe had led by 5 percent in August and September. The poll's results also showed that education is a top issue for 41 percent of respondents, with Youngkin having an edge over McAuliffe by 39 to 38 percent when it comes to who voters trust more on the issue.

******************************************

Free Community College Nixed

President Biden told House progressives on Tuesday that his proposal for free community college would not be included in the final reconciliation package being hammered out by Democrats, multiple sources told CNN.

Additionally, Biden said the current child tax credit will be extended by one year instead of being made permanent, and will be means-tested as proposed by Senator Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.). Proposed funding for home-care services for the elderly will also be reduced from $400 billion to below $250 billion.

A key priority for congressional progressives — an expansion of Medicare to include vision, dental, and hearing services — will remain in the reconciliation bill, Biden reportedly said.

The Biden administration initially proposed a $3.5 trillion spending package earlier this year to be passed in the Senate via budget-reconciliation rules, meaning the package would need support of a simple majority. However, Democrats need all 50 of their Senators to support the bill, and Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have expressed opposition to various components of the package and to the overall price tag.

Biden conceded on Friday that the plan would likely cost less and hinted that free community college could be dropped from the package.

“To be honest with you, we’re probably not going to get $3.5 trillion this year; we’re going to get something less than that,” Biden said at a child care center in Hartford, Conn., adding later, “I don’t know that I can get it done, but I also had proposed free community college.”

***********************************

My other blogs: Main ones below

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)

http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)

http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)

http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)

http://snorphty.blogspot.com/ (TONGUE-TIED)

*******************************

No comments: