Jazz teacher forced out of job after student boycott over views on discrimination and diversity policies

The school had asked for staff and student feedback regarding their equality and diversity policy, to which Speake sent a 1,170 word email in which he said “critical race theory is divisive and dangerous”.

He also wrote that he disagreed with the notion that black musicians were discriminated against in the UK jazz scene - saying he believed they sometimes even received preferential treatment.

He went on to say: “If there is systematic bias in Britain which discriminates against one race over others it is against white people … by constantly emphasising that blacks are discriminated against, institutional racism (which does not exist in the jazz world, apart from maybe against whites now in certain areas of promotion) and are underdogs, deprived of opportunities etc, this encourages the victim mentality and is untrue.”

Outrage ensued after students got hold of the contents of the email, sparking a five-week boycott of his classes, which eventually led him to resign as well as lose playing and recording career.

The school released a statement saying they did not agree with Speake’s views, saying they were “in awe” of the students’ “sense of community and solidarity with each other”.

The musician said his bosses told him his views were “racist” and “offensive,” depriving him of the opportunity to meet with students to discuss his views and “agree to disagree”.

Speake’s colleagues, fellow musicians, record companies and music venues all cut ties with the saxophonist, rendering him effectively “cancelled” from the UK jazz scene.

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Even The London Jazz Orchestra, where he had been lead alto saxophonist for 15 years, asked him to leave, with its co-founder Noel Langley branding Speake’s email as “racist” and “disgusting” with “far-right conspiracy theories”.

Speaking to The Times, the 66-year-old said: “It’s been absolutely horrific.”

“The students are treated like customers so they are in charge but they don’t have the knowledge or maturity to know what they are doing, but they have destroyed my life by their actions.”

He said he believes many students are afraid of going against the accepted narrative on campus, while his older colleagues and other musicians are scared to face repercussions if they appear to side with him.

“Friends I have known for 30 or 40 years, I haven’t heard from them,” he said. “A lot of people say this music is about free expression and about civil rights in the US but my civil rights are not recognised at all here. The people involved in this art form in the UK are a joke to me now. It’s very disturbing.”

Speake, who is now being given legal and financial support by the Free Speech Union, has decided to file a discrimination and harassment claim against the school for failing “to secure my right to academic freedom and free speech”. He is also filing a claim for constructive dismissal.

A Trinity Laban spokeswoman told The Times that legal proceedings were ongoing but that “there are multiple factual inaccuracies in Mr Speake’s account of events and their timeline”.

She said: “While a temporary pause was placed upon Mr Speake’s classes after he shared his email with students, he was welcomed back by Trinity Laban.”

“We encouraged Mr Speake to understand that while institutionally we did not share his views, his rights to hold them were absolutely protected by us. Indeed, these are the same rights held by every member of our community to challenge the institution and each other.”

She added: “No disciplinary action has been taken against Mr Speake on the basis of his personal views, and no action has been taken by Trinity Laban to influence the actions of any of Mr Speake’s other employers. We remain committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming culture for all staff and students.”