Racist lecturer suspended

Ruqayyah Collector, Education Officer Leeds University and NUS Black Students' Committee

Leeds University has announced the suspension of racist lecturer Frank Ellis after a succesful campaign by the students' union attracted widespread support and publicity.

Ellis sparked uproar when he said that he considered Black people to have genetically lower intelligence than white people, along with attacking LGBT people’s rights and women.

Whilst employed as a lecturer, Ellis has had known links to white supremacist organisation ‘American Renaissance’, has shared platforms with fascists and described the BNP as a “very very good thing”.
Our campaign has stressed that Ellis breached the university's equality and diversity policy and jeopardised its fulfilment of obligations under the Race Relations Amendment Act. Leeds University is now looking into this.

Leeds University Union has welcomed the disciplinary and reiterated its call for Ellis to be sacked.
Students have the right to be judged on their academic ability, rather than the prejudices of their tutor.
This issue is the latest example of the racism and discrimination many students have to face in education.

For example, research shows that where anonymous marking is not implemented, Black, women and LGBT students are likely to be marked down. All such discrimination should be eradicated. Vote for the emergency motion supporting the Leeds campaign for Ellis to be sacked to be prioritised and debated at NUS conference.