Latest news with #Turton
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Yahoo
Lecturer ‘forced out' after false racism claim seeks £450K compensation
A college lecturer was 'forced out' after a colleague was found to have spread false racism claims about her. An employment tribunal found in favour of psychology teacher Dr Sharon Turton, who was 'forced to take voluntary redundancy' from MidKent College due to undue stress. Her legal team told education publication FE Week that they are seeking up to £450,000. Dr Turton, 64, said: 'I will never be able to enter the workplace again. I cannot go outside without having a panic attack. 'My mother, who is in her 80s, has become my full-time carer, and I'm having ongoing therapy. It's not about the money. No money can compensate [for] what this has done to me and my family.' The lecturer, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, severe complex post-traumatic stress disorder and ADHD, had been open about her health issues with staff and students. The tribunal heard how a fellow lecturer mocked her disabilities on several occasions by tapping her head to indicate her 'mental problems' and made derogatory remarks about her loss of memory. This was reported to the college by students who had recorded a lesson for their note-taking. An investigation was launched after one of them also complained the colleague said her coursework had been deleted because Dr Turton disliked her 'because of [her] family background and that all Gypsies should not be allowed to have an education'. The judge ruled this was 'fabricated information' of 'false racist remarks' concerning the student's Traveller heritage. After hearing about the rumours, Dr Turton posted on Facebook asking her followers if anyone had heard what was being said- which was later taken down at the college's request. She added: 'I needed to know if there were rumours about me being a racist, and there were. I was fighting a smear campaign against me. My first concern was for the student, and I asked for somebody else to cover her class. 'Then I thought, if they believe it, I could be sacked on the spot, lose my house and even get a criminal record.' Dr Turton was signed off sick with 'stress-related illness', returning in March 2022 and working mostly from home at her request to avoid the lecturer and another colleague. A confrontation took place at the Medway campus in April 2022 when she came across the two women in the staff room and they both shouted at her: 'Hello, Sharon.' Other members of staff described this as 'very confrontational' and 'excessive' behaviour. Of the six complaints, including harassment related to disability, direct disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments for disabilities, three were 'well-founded' and three were dismissed. In June 2022, Dr Turton and the two other lecturers were informed they were at risk of redundancy 'due to a reduction in student numbers'. While signed off work, she was invited to a redundancy selection interview but she accepted voluntary redundancy instead due to her health issues. The report said she felt that she had no option but to take redundancy saying she believed if she stayed she would have died. The tribunal found 'considerable evidence' that decision-makers considered Dr Turton to be difficult and internal HR emails suggest they may have seen redundancy as an 'opportunity' to dismiss her. Speaking at her home in Ashford, she said: 'I loved the job and had planned to continue until I was 71. I was given the option to postpone the hearing because I had more evidence, but this has gone on too long and I needed to get it over [with].' She said her aim was to make managers and HR teams aware of the problems facing disabled people in the workplace and to 'expose' the behaviour shown to her. 'It's no good knowing about the Equality Act if you don't know about hidden disabilities,' she added. 'People ask what proof you have, but a lot of it is verbal and you don't have any. 'Luckily, I have family in the legal profession who have helped me. But there are many in my situation who will not know how to get evidence together.' Simon Cook, the principal and chief executive of MidKent College, said the college takes the findings 'extremely seriously'. He said: 'Throughout this time, the college has continued to learn and grow, strengthening its policies and practices to foster a more inclusive workplace. 'We are reviewing our internal processes to ensure that all concerns raised by staff are appropriately addressed and that our commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion are upheld in all aspects of college life.' Dr Turton thanked her legal team for fighting her case through the tribunal and not accepting an out-of-court settlement. The lecturer has three daughters and six grandchildren, and an 11-month-old Doberman puppy to keep her company. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
13-04-2025
- Telegraph
Lecturer ‘forced out' after false racism claim seeks £450K compensation
The tribunal heard how a fellow lecturer mocked her disabilities on several occasions by tapping her head to indicate her 'mental problems' and made derogatory remarks about her loss of memory. This was reported to the college by students who had recorded a lesson for their note-taking. An investigation was launched after one of them also complained the colleague said her coursework had been deleted because Dr Turton disliked her 'because of [her] family background and that all Gypsies should not be allowed to have an education'. The judge ruled this was 'fabricated information' of 'false racist remarks' concerning the student's Traveller heritage. After hearing about the rumours, Dr Turton posted on Facebook asking her followers if anyone had heard what was being said- which was later taken down at the college's request. Smear campaign She added: 'I needed to know if there were rumours about me being a racist, and there were. I was fighting a smear campaign against me. My first concern was for the student, and I asked for somebody else to cover her class. 'Then I thought, if they believe it, I could be sacked on the spot, lose my house and even get a criminal record.' Dr Turton was signed off sick with 'stress-related illness', returning in March 2022 and working mostly from home at her request to avoid the lecturer and another colleague. A confrontation took place at the Medway campus in April 2022 when she came across the two women in the staff room and they both shouted at her: 'Hello, Sharon.' Other members of staff described this as 'very confrontational' and 'excessive' behaviour. Of the six complaints, including harassment related to disability, direct disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments for disabilities, three were 'well-founded' and three were dismissed. In June 2022, Dr Turton and the two other lecturers were informed they were at risk of redundancy 'due to a reduction in student numbers'. While signed off work, she was invited to a redundancy selection interview but she accepted voluntary redundancy instead due to her health issues. 'Considerable evidence' The report said she felt that she had no option but to take redundancy saying she believed if she stayed she would have died. The tribunal found 'considerable evidence' that decision-makers considered Dr Turton to be difficult and internal HR emails suggest they may have seen redundancy as an 'opportunity' to dismiss her. Speaking at her home in Ashford, she said: 'I loved the job and had planned to continue until I was 71. I was given the option to postpone the hearing because I had more evidence, but this has gone on too long and I needed to get it over [with].' She said her aim was to make managers and HR teams aware of the problems facing disabled people in the workplace and to 'expose' the behaviour shown to her. 'It's no good knowing about the Equality Act if you don't know about hidden disabilities,' she added. 'People ask what proof you have, but a lot of it is verbal and you don't have any. 'Luckily, I have family in the legal profession who have helped me. But there are many in my situation who will not know how to get evidence together.' 'Extremely serious' Simon Cook, the principal and chief executive of MidKent College, said the college takes the findings 'extremely seriously'. He said: 'Throughout this time, the college has continued to learn and grow, strengthening its policies and practices to foster a more inclusive workplace. 'We are reviewing our internal processes to ensure that all concerns raised by staff are appropriately addressed and that our commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion are upheld in all aspects of college life.' Dr Turton thanked her legal team for fighting her case through the tribunal and not accepting an out-of-court settlement. The lecturer has three daughters and six grandchildren, and an 11-month-old Doberman puppy to keep her company.
The Guardian
08-03-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the coast. How does it compare to past storms?
As ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred looks likely to cross the coast, authorities remain concerned about heavy rainfall and the potential for flooding. It is expected to make landfall in Queensland on Saturday as a tropical low. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, over the years, at least 20 cyclones have approached within 300km of south-east Queensland and northern NSW. Only a few have made landfall, but history shows that cyclones, and even ex-cyclones, have the potential to wreak havoc in this corner of the country. Dr Stephen Turton, an adjunct professor at Central Queensland University who has studied tropical cyclones for more than 30 years, said events in 1954 and 1974 caused extensive damage, in large part because of extensive rainfall and flooding. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Griffith University environmental historian, Dr Margaret Cook, said cyclones and tropical lows could cause 'cascading disasters', leading to flooding and other impacts, such as health problems and electricity outages. In the aftermath of such storms, governments have tried to learn and better prepare for the future. Here's what has happened in the past – and how Alfred compares. An unnamed cyclone that crossed the coast at Coolangatta on 20 February 1954 brought such devastation it was dubbed 'the Great Gold Coast Cyclone'. That was before the Bureau of Meteorology instituted its cyclone naming policy. It was also before the use of satellites, Turton said, which made the event difficult to confirm as a 'true tropical cyclone'. Regardless, it caused a lot of damage. At least 26 people died and the cyclone caused widespread flooding and structural damage from Bundaberg to Grafton. Springbrook, about an hour's drive inland from Coolangatta, recorded 900mm of rain in the 24-hours before the cyclone hit land, according to an account in the journal Climate Dynamics. Boats were reported in treetops at Beachmere, as the cyclone crossed the coast, bringing storm surges of 6.4 metres to Moreton Bay. About 200 metres of the Byron Bay jetty was swept away, taking with it the town's entire fishing fleet. One of the worst hit areas was near Cudgen, a small coastal town in New South Wales, where houses were 'blown apart and trees more than 1 metre in diameter were twisted out of the ground'. Flooding triggered by the cyclone swept across the northern rivers region, particularly affecting Lismore, Casino, Kyogle and Murwillumbah. The Courier Mail reported the first clear message from Lismore just after 5pm, after extreme rainfall caused record flood levels of 12.11 metres. 'It has been a night of horror. We need help,' said a message broadcast on radio station 2LM. 'More than 2,000 people are homeless. More than 1,000 are sheltering on high ground. We need 1,000 blankets tonight.' From Kyogle, later revealed as a 'scene of devastation', there was no word. Turton said while ex-tropical cyclone Alfred would bring heavy rainfall to similar areas, the human context today was totally different. 'The Gold Coast in 1954 was nothing like it is today,' he said, adding that back then the area was made up mostly of smaller towns populated with beach shacks. Cook, who specialises in climate-related disasters, said Dinah, a category three tropical cyclone which remained off the coast (making landfall at K'gari and then heading back out to sea) still did significant damage to the Gold Coast, which was by then starting to resemble the Surfers Paradise of today. Storm surges almost completely washed away the sand on the beaches. Waves crashed over the embankments and undermined the esplanade, causing parts to collapse, she said. Some buildings toppled into the sea. 'It was a really big problem because they were worried about the tourism industry,' she said. 'The beaches were off limits for a long time because there was just no sand.' Houses 'were unroofed' at Bundaberg, Maryborough and along the Sunshine and Gold Coasts; the sea wall at Nudgee was destroyed, and homes were flooded with 0.66 metres of seawater. Data from the Insurance Council of Australia shows insurance losses were equivalent to $4.68bn. 'Storm surges also affected the Gold Coast and water lapped the decking of the Jubilee Bridge, which is about 1.5 metres above highest astronomical tide.' Cook said a series of cyclones hit a similar strip of coastline in 1974, beginning with Wanda, a category one cyclone that caused the 'second biggest recorded floods since colonisation'. The ground was already wet and saturated when Wanda arrived on 24 January, crossing the coast at Maryborough, about 250km north of Brisbane. More than 500mm of rainfall fell on Brisbane within 24-hours, triggering the city's worst floods since 1893. Sixteen people were killed in Brisbane and Ipswich. Thousands of homes were inundated; 56 in Brisbane were completely destroyed, and 41 were washed away in Ipswich, according to the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. Tom Mortlock, head of climate analytics for the Asia-Pacific at financial services group Aon and an adjunct fellow in the Climate Change Research Centre at UNSW, said Alfred was a reminder that tropical cyclones had the potential to track this far south, as Dinah had done. He said, Wanda, which followed a similar path to Alfred, was a good benchmark for what could occur, he said. 'The difference then was that there wasn't as much infrastructure and people as there are nowadays,' Mortlock said. The full impact and costs associated with Alfred won't be known for some time, but he expects it could be a 'multi-billion dollar event in terms of insured losses'. Ex-tropical cyclone Zoe followed just six weeks after Cyclone Wanda, crossing the coast at Coolangatta on 12 March 1974, then curving back out to sea. Wind damage from Zoe was limited, but flooding was extensive, and caused hundreds of evacuations in northern NSW, according to the bureau. It also caused landslides and severe erosion of Gold Coast beaches. The big legacy of the 1974 floods was the formation of Queensland's State Emergency Service, Cook said, replacing what had previously been, something more akin to a 'Dad's army'.
Telegraph
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
TikTok effect gives Brummie accent ‘exotic' edge
The rise of social media platforms such as TikTok have made seemingly 'unsexy' accents the hottest new trend. The increased accessibility to regional accents has resulted in a 'perception shift' in their favour, according to a linguistics expert. Brit Award -winning musician Jorja Smith's viral hit Crush left people worldwide celebrating the sound of the artist's Black Country twang. Dr Danielle Turton, senior lecturer in linguistics at Lancaster University, said: 'What is different now is we're seeing a more sustained presence across different areas of culture. 'Not just TV and music, but sport, social media, things like TikTok just makes it more accessible, and we're just getting used to hearing a bit more diversity.' The 27-year-old Smith, from Walsall, features in a rapping segment on the new track which resulted in thousands of social media users responding to what Americans deemed her 'exotic' accent. Speaking to The Telegraph, Dr Turton explained: 'As soon as we start to have positive role models who speak with that accent, we see the perception shift, and we're seeing this with the West Midlands accent.' The changing attitude on social media marks a distinct about-turn for the popularity of Midlands accents after a 2014 YouGov poll finding Birmingham to be the least attractive accent in the UK. More recently, academics found that the 'Brummie monotone' is the least respected accent in the country and that 'pervasive accent bias' against it continues to act as a barrier to social mobility. However, the increased 'exposure' of the Midlands accents globally has meant it is 'finally having its moment,' according to Dr Turton. 'With the success of Peaky Blinders and the rise of artists like Jorja Smith and other cultural figures, people are loving the West Midland accent,' she said. The linguistics expert added that Smith's song is helpful in breaking down traditionally negative stereotypes associated with the accent. And it is not just the Midlands' range of accents we're softening to, with the theory applying all across the country and beyond, according to Dr Turton. She explained: 'Often what we hear in the media is a very certain type of accent, and when we do hear these more working class or regional accents, they might be unfairly portrayed as maybe criminals or negative stereotypes. 'So when we hear talented and charismatic people speaking with these accents, it challenges all stereotypes.' Once Smith's song was released, thousands of fans worldwide asked where the singer's accent came from. In response to the curiosity, Walsall-based TikToker Madson Hodgson said: 'Never in my life have I heard someone saying that Walsall is the most exotic accent in the UK.' He added that the accent usually receives 'slander' and that this marked a positive change that locals are proud of. Jorja Smith, who was born in Walsall in 1997, began writing songs aged 11 and was scouted by a music manager by the time she was 15. Dr Turton added: 'There's always been individuals with Midlands accents who've been in the media. What is different now is we're seeing a more sustained presence across different areas of culture. 'We're just getting used to hearing a bit more diversity.'
