‘Campaign of conspiracy and collusion,’ says Noble

York denies reprimanding outspoken prof for criticism

York Prof. David Noble gave his closing arguments before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario yesterday morning, in his case against York University.
   Noble is seeking financial compensation and a formal apology from York’s administration for allegedly orchestrating a “campaign of reprisals” against him for his outspoken criticism of York’s policy of cancelling classes during the Jewish holidays Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a practice York cancelled earlier this year.
     “This has never been about religion,” Noble said to tribunal chair Michael Gottheil.
     “This is about power. And my effort to end this discrimination brought me invariably into confrontation with that power.”
     The controversial history professor claims that he was punished with undesirable Friday afternoon teaching time slots for his lectures and that he was depicted as an anti-Semite in the media by York’s administration, despite being Jewish himself.
    “The damage done to me as a consequence of this campaign of reprisal is perhaps less apparent than it might have been because of my ability under duress to recognize, respond and defend myself against it,” Noble told the tribunal.
    “This defensive response, however, did not diminish but merely masked the pain, trauma and the very real and costly struggle entailed,” he added.
     In closing arguments that lasted nearly 45 minutes, York’s defence council, led by William McDowell, argued that no reprisals had been taken against Noble, citing the fact that he was still free to lecture and his pay had not been docked.
    Since his arrival at York University in 1991, Noble has been very outspoken about York’s policies. But he claimed it wasn’t until his decision to challenge the practice of religious holidays that York’s administration began seeking reprisals against him.
    "Since I began to challenge the practice, I became the target of a concerted campaign of conspiracy and collusion to commit reprisals in violation of clause eight of the human rights code,” said Noble.
     Gottheil has not yet set a date for the Human Rights Tribunal’s ruling.