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Oxford don who quoted Voltaire accused of racial discrimination against black chef
By KATHERINE FAULKNER
Last updated at 8:46 AM on 1st December 2011
When he applied for promotion to head chef at an Oxford college, Gregory Lewis expected the focus to be on his cooking.
But perhaps the history don who summoned him for an interview had loftier subjects in mind.
After meeting Mr Lewis, Dr David Parrott observed that the chef was like ‘Mr Pangloss himself’ – a foolish character, invented by the 18th century French philosopher Voltaire, who is ridiculed for his naïve view of the world.
Chef Gregory Lewis (left) accused Dr David Parrott (right) of racial discrimination. Mr Lewis's case has now been re-opened after the Employment Appeal Tribunal found 'apparent bias' in an earlier decision to dismiss his claims
Now Dr Parrott’s scholarly remark has placed him at the centre of a bitter race row. Mr Lewis, who is black, says calling him ‘Mr Pangloss’ was a racial insult. The 47-year-old chef claims the remark drew on the racist stereotype that black males are ‘lazy and stupid’.
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Mr Lewis, who did not get the head chef job following his interview and was dismissed as deputy head chef two years later, is suing the college for unfair dismissal, partly on the grounds of racial discrimination.
Dr Parrott, described Mr Lewis as 'Mr Pangloss himself' from French philosopher Voltaire's (pictured) masterpiece 'Candide'
In a witness statement, Mr Lewis said he was horrified when he obtained the notes of his interviews and found the historian had compared him to a ‘buffoon’. He added: ‘After looking up the term Pangloss I discovered that it came from a book called Candide by Voltaire.
‘The character Pangloss is consistently optimistic to the point of ridiculousness; remaining cheerful even when black slaves are mutilated. He is a buffoon. I was very insulted to have this reference made about me.
‘I was the only black Caribbean candidate. There have been no black Caribbean head chefs at any Oxford University college during the 18 years I worked there.
‘I felt that David Parrott used this term because it was hopelessly optimistic of me to believe they might break their convention and promote me.’ Mr Lewis added that when he asked Mr Parrott what his remark had meant, he displayed a ‘smug and superior attitude,’ responding to his questions by sending him a three-page essay about Voltaire.
Dr Parrot vehemently denies his ‘Mr Pangloss’ comment was racist, insisting he meant only that Mr Lewis ‘appeared to accept matters as they are, rather than striving for change’.
Mr Lewis worked at Keble College in Oxford before moving to New College in 1999 and going for the job as head chef in 2007. He was dismissed from New College in 2009 – a decision the college says was purely down to his absence from work.
The employment appeal tribunal set out how Mr Lewis had 20 years' experience as a chef, and worked at Keble College before moving to New College (pictured) and going for the role as head chef in 2007
Mr Lewis cites Dr Parrott’s comment as one of a number of examples of racist treatment he says he endured during his time in the college kitchens.
An employment tribunal last year decided that Mr Lewis had not been unfairly dismissed. An appeal judge has now overturned that decision and ruled that Mr Lewis’s case should be heard at a new tribunal.
Judge Jeremy McMullen said it needed ‘quite a leap of reasoning’ to conclude that the don’s reference to Voltaire’s ever-optimistic character amounted to a suggestion that Mr Lewis was ‘lazy and stupid’.
However, the decision of the original tribunal had to be overturned because a judge on that panel suggested that black Caribbean males ‘had a more ‘‘relaxed’’ approach to life than other ethnic groups’. Judge McMullen said this judge had given the appearance of bias to the ruling.
An Oxford University spokesman said Mr Lewis had been employed by New College, not by the university, and at no point in the tribunal proceedings ‘were any accusations of racism found to have any validity’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1fJoDrI3r
Last updated at 8:46 AM on 1st December 2011
When he applied for promotion to head chef at an Oxford college, Gregory Lewis expected the focus to be on his cooking.
But perhaps the history don who summoned him for an interview had loftier subjects in mind.
After meeting Mr Lewis, Dr David Parrott observed that the chef was like ‘Mr Pangloss himself’ – a foolish character, invented by the 18th century French philosopher Voltaire, who is ridiculed for his naïve view of the world.
Chef Gregory Lewis (left) accused Dr David Parrott (right) of racial discrimination. Mr Lewis's case has now been re-opened after the Employment Appeal Tribunal found 'apparent bias' in an earlier decision to dismiss his claims
Now Dr Parrott’s scholarly remark has placed him at the centre of a bitter race row. Mr Lewis, who is black, says calling him ‘Mr Pangloss’ was a racial insult. The 47-year-old chef claims the remark drew on the racist stereotype that black males are ‘lazy and stupid’.
More...
Mr Lewis, who did not get the head chef job following his interview and was dismissed as deputy head chef two years later, is suing the college for unfair dismissal, partly on the grounds of racial discrimination.
Dr Parrott, described Mr Lewis as 'Mr Pangloss himself' from French philosopher Voltaire's (pictured) masterpiece 'Candide'In a witness statement, Mr Lewis said he was horrified when he obtained the notes of his interviews and found the historian had compared him to a ‘buffoon’. He added: ‘After looking up the term Pangloss I discovered that it came from a book called Candide by Voltaire.
‘The character Pangloss is consistently optimistic to the point of ridiculousness; remaining cheerful even when black slaves are mutilated. He is a buffoon. I was very insulted to have this reference made about me.
‘I was the only black Caribbean candidate. There have been no black Caribbean head chefs at any Oxford University college during the 18 years I worked there.
‘I felt that David Parrott used this term because it was hopelessly optimistic of me to believe they might break their convention and promote me.’ Mr Lewis added that when he asked Mr Parrott what his remark had meant, he displayed a ‘smug and superior attitude,’ responding to his questions by sending him a three-page essay about Voltaire.
Dr Parrot vehemently denies his ‘Mr Pangloss’ comment was racist, insisting he meant only that Mr Lewis ‘appeared to accept matters as they are, rather than striving for change’.
Mr Lewis worked at Keble College in Oxford before moving to New College in 1999 and going for the job as head chef in 2007. He was dismissed from New College in 2009 – a decision the college says was purely down to his absence from work.
The employment appeal tribunal set out how Mr Lewis had 20 years' experience as a chef, and worked at Keble College before moving to New College (pictured) and going for the role as head chef in 2007Mr Lewis cites Dr Parrott’s comment as one of a number of examples of racist treatment he says he endured during his time in the college kitchens.
An employment tribunal last year decided that Mr Lewis had not been unfairly dismissed. An appeal judge has now overturned that decision and ruled that Mr Lewis’s case should be heard at a new tribunal.
Judge Jeremy McMullen said it needed ‘quite a leap of reasoning’ to conclude that the don’s reference to Voltaire’s ever-optimistic character amounted to a suggestion that Mr Lewis was ‘lazy and stupid’.
However, the decision of the original tribunal had to be overturned because a judge on that panel suggested that black Caribbean males ‘had a more ‘‘relaxed’’ approach to life than other ethnic groups’. Judge McMullen said this judge had given the appearance of bias to the ruling.
An Oxford University spokesman said Mr Lewis had been employed by New College, not by the university, and at no point in the tribunal proceedings ‘were any accusations of racism found to have any validity’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1fJoDrI3r
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