College defends 'Harlem Shake' library sacking (From thisisoxfordshire)

College defends 'Harlem Shake' library sacking

7:00am Saturday 23rd March 2013 in News

THE Oxford college caught up in a row over a dance filmed in its library has defended its decision to get rid of the worker involved.

St Hilda’s dismissed Calypso Nash after a group of 30 students recorded themselves dancing the Harlem Shake – an internet fad.

The decision was criticised by students and politicians but in a statement issued yesterday, the college said: “Calypso Nash is a full-time postgraduate student at another college to whom we offered a small amount of casual work on an occasional basis as a library invigilator.

“She was not employed by St Hilda’s as a librarian.

“The role of an invigilator is to maintain quiet in the library, or, if not able to maintain quiet, to refer incidents on.

“As this role was not performed, the librarian decided not to offer Calypso further work. She has not appealed.”

The decision to dismiss Miss Nash has been criticised by the St Hilda’s junior common room, which passed a motion calling for her to be re-hired, and by MP George Galloway who tabled an early-day motion in Parliament to the same effect.