Jazz lecturer ‘forced out’ over race email settles case

A jazz lecturer who was forced to resign over an email he sent contesting “critical race theory” has settled with his former employer, who admitted his actions were not racist.

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance has announced it has reached an undisclosed settlement in an employment tribunal brought by former lecturer Martin Speake.

In February 2024, Speake responded to an internal request for feedback on racial equity initiatives and diversity policies being proposed by the institution.

He said there was “no systemic racial inequality in the UK jazz scene” and criticised critical race theory as “divisive and dangerous”.

Speake later shared the email with a student following a discussion on the topic. It was subsequently circulated more widely within the department, prompting complaints from students and leading to the suspension of his teaching duties.

“As soon as [Trinity Laban] shared my email with the entire jazz department, my personal nightmare began,” Speake writes on a crowdfunding page supporting his case, alleging that students boycotted his classes and that he faced professional consequences beyond the conservatoire.

Speake resigned from Trinity Laban in November 2024. He filed claims alleging discrimination and harassment on the basis of what he described as his protected philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010, and constructive dismissal.

In a statement published on 17 February, Trinity Laban accepted that Speake held beliefs that “a ‘woke’ or ‘critical’ theory approach to racism, as perpetuated by the organisation ‘Black Lives Matter’, is misconceived and harmful to society in that its belief in structural racism is divisive because it sees white people as a problem and that can result in unfair outcomes and incorrect conclusions”.

The institution said it accepted that the email Speake sent, in which he considered he expressed those beliefs, “had no racist intent” and that Speake “considers himself, and has done for all of his life, an anti-racist”.

The institution also acknowledged that “discrimination against staff and students because they hold or appropriately manifest protected philosophical beliefs is unlawful”.

The conservatoire noted that “similar beliefs have been found to be protected in a previous employment tribunal case”.

Speake’s case was supported by the Free Speech Union and raised £31,447 in donations.

It comes as higher education institutions face renewed pressure over their commitment to free speech and academic freedom, amid claims that campuses are hotbeds of “cancel culture”.

New legislation requiring universities to actively promote lawful free speech came into force last year.

In its statement, Trinity Laban said it “continues to champion academic freedom and freedom of speech within educational institutions, and the steps taken by the government in this regard”.

It added that it was “grateful that it and all HEPs now have clear guidance from the government on how to ensure everyone’s right to their academic freedom and freedom of speech”, enabling future decisions to adhere to that guidance.

The conservatoire acknowledged “the hurt felt by Mr Speake, and that he has reported significant damage to his personal and professional life and wishes him well for the future” and said it “condemns public attempts to unfairly vilify him”.

tash.mosheim@timeshighereducation.com