Law lecturer sacked after ‘objecting to curriculum that indoctrinated students in gender identity theory’ at Open University

• Dr Almut Gadow is seeking to raise £70,000 to cover her preliminary trial
• She says her questions about the new curriculum were judged as ‘misconduct’

A law lecturer has claimed she was let go from the Open University after raising concerns about teaching gender identity theory.

Almut Gadow, 43, says that she questioned curriculum requirements including teaching diverse gender identities and encouraging students to use offenders’ preferred pronouns.

She maintains that her role was ‘to present facts’ and says that she was sacked for questioning the need to ‘indoctrinate students in gender identity theory’ after changes were made to the curriculum in the 2021/22 academic year.

Gadow stressed the perceived importance of not allowing offenders ‘to dictate the language of his case in a way which masks relevant facts’, adding that she felt the new requirements ‘distorted equality law and normalised child sexual exploitation’.

But the professor said she was told her forum posts on gender identity were deemed ‘serious insubordination’ and that persistent comments on identity, paedophilia and sex offending were judged ‘serious bullying and harassment’.

Gadow was ultimately let go from the institution in November for gross misconduct after ‘almost ten years’ with the institution, and now seeks to raise funds to support a legal battle.

‘I see free speech as a distinguishing feature between democracy and totalitarianism, not a battleground between left and right,’ the law lecturer said 

Writing on a fundraising page, Gadow said: ‘When I raised these questions, in an online forum for law tutors to discuss what they teach, management had no answers. 

‘Months later, they were cited as reasons for my dismissal. 

‘Managers spuriously alleged that my ‘unreasonable questions’ had created an environment which ‘isn’t inclusive, trans-friendly or respectful’, thus violating the transgender staff policy and codes of conduct. 

‘In fact, I had broken no lawful rule by probing the academic soundness of what I was expected to teach.’

She claims that ‘some treated “minor attraction” as part of the “diverse sexualities and gender identities” Open University law teaching now seeks to “centre”‘, alleging that the criminal law module featured an assignment in which students had to discuss a relationship between an adult and a minor.

She said that describing the child and adult as each other’s ‘boyfriends’ would yield marks, and that students would lose marks for considering ‘whether the adult was grooming the child or committing a sexual offence’. 

When she asked for clarification, she says her appeals were ‘described as further misconduct’. 

On CrowdJustice, the lecturer has so far raised £16,690 of £70,000 in a campaign to support an employment tribunal claim against the university.

£70,000, she says, will cover the cost of the preliminary hearing, disclosure of documents and preparation of a trial bundle. 

She alleged that she has ‘been unfairly dismissed, harassed, and discriminated against because I reject gender ideology and believe in academic freedom. 

‘My case raises complex points of human rights, academic freedom, free expression and equality law.’

Gadow plans to argue that ‘valuing academic freedom is, in itself, a protected belief under the Equality Act’ – the central piece of legislation legally protecting people from discrimination in the workplace and wider society.

Writing on her fundraising page, she said: ‘I see free speech as a distinguishing feature between democracy and totalitarianism, not a battleground between left and right. 

‘My family has seen both German dictatorships, the fascist and the socialist, right and left, suppress speech and purge academia of dissent and dissenters. 

‘I hope my daughter can one day go to a university that does not eliminate wrongthink(ers).’

Gadow was ultimately let go from The Open University in November for gross misconduct

Speaking to the case, Dr Kathleen Stock said: ‘This is a very important case, with potentially far-reaching repercussions for the University sector. 

‘It demonstrates the link between highly ideological, terminologically vague Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion policies – which are rife across the sector – and acts of discrimination against University members for their lawful beliefs.’

MailOnline contacted The Open University for comment. 

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