'College racism forced us out'

Peter Ashan says racism blighted his teaching career

By BBC News Online's community affairs reporter Cindi John

Peter Ashan describes his previous job in south London as "one of the most negative experiences I've had within education".

The 38-year-old lecturer who now works at an east London college has been in teaching for more than 10 years.

Mr Ashan said in spite of his former college being in a very multi-racial area few of the staff were from ethnic minorities and he was the only black person in his department.

Equality was not discussed or considered an issue that should be raised or taken seriously, he added.

Two members of my student body who were card-carrying members of the BNP were actively encouraged to give me as much trouble as they could in class

Mannish Lall
Norfolk lecturer

"I remember clearly around the time of the Stephen Lawrence report I spoke to managers about setting up a black staff group.

"That would have been helpful in looking at staff recruitment and selection procedures because none of the managers were from ethnic minority and yet the majority of students were," he said.

Mr Ashan said he also suggested altering the curriculum to reflect the multi-racial student body but said his proposals fell on "deaf ears".

He added he felt his career suffered as a result of his attempts to make managers more aware of equality issues and he finally left after his job description was changed, effectively down-grading him.

"They even went so far as to get a white member of staff in, a new appointment, to do the job I was supposed to do. So it was quite clear I wasn't wanted there," Mr Ashan said.

'Undermined'

A Norfolk lecturer, Mannish Lall, said he too had been virtually forced out of his job by racist attitudes.

Mr Lall said that during his time as head of media studies at a Norfolk college students were encouraged to harass him.

"I found out later that two members of my student body who were card-carrying members of the BNP were actively encouraged to give me as much trouble as they could in class.

"They said things like "niggers should all be chopped up" and "all Pakis should be sent home".

Equality issues have been pushed lower down the agenda

Peter Ashan

Mr Lall said he had been told that his job - which he held on a six month contract - would not be made permanent due to a shortage of funds.

He later discovered the college had re-advertised it as a permanent position, he added, but did not apply as he felt he had been constantly undermined by his line manager.

"The implied message was "you are Asian, you are no good, you have no chance".

"It was the tone, the facial expression - I wasn't called a Paki or whatever as I know has happened to some people in my profession - he wasn't that upfront about it."

Both Mr Lall and Peter Ashan hoped that as a result of the report by the Commission for Black Staff in Further Education more importance would be attached to equality issues.

Mr Ashan said: "Equality issues have been pushed lower down the agenda which is wrong.

"I hope the report will mean we will see a real concern to ensure that colleges reflect the diversity of the communities they serve."