Right-on National Union of Students in racism probe as report exposes ‘institutional failings’
Far-left student body found to have 'serious failings' and 'naivety in the understanding of race and racism'
THE far-left National Union of Students suffers from “institutional failings" with racism while some victims have been targeted for “many years”, according to an internal report.
An independent probe into the NUS – known for politically correct campaigning under radical leader Malia Bouattia – found “serious failings and issues for concern” as well as “considerable shortcomings” and “naivety in the understanding of race and racism”.
Set up to establish whether the right-on NUS is “institutionally racist”, the self-commissioned report leaked to The Sun tells of "often painful accounts” from victims and warns that an atmosphere of “caution and distrust” prevented a full investigation.
The student group’s failings come despite their increasingly right-on ethos.
It recently moved to axe textbooks by white men and ban speakers who could be offensive to minority groups.
Carried out by race equality think tank the Runnymede Trust, the probe found many within the organisation, which represents two million university students, were unable to live out such lofty principles.
The authors conclude: “There remains no doubt in our minds that NUS as an employer has failed to seriously support Black staff, officers and volunteers and has considerable work to do to address the poor understanding and engagement of race and racism amongst white staff and associates.”
It blasted: “While the keenness of some white respondents to act as allies is to be welcomed and should not be overlooked the tendency, on the part of others, to assume liberal, well-meaning and intent sufficient evidence of commitment to race and racism is, at best, short-sighted.
“Our findings indicate a gap between the intention of racially just practice and the reality for those racialised as Black and a lack of understanding of racism in its more subtle or covert forms.”
NUS President Bouattia – herself previously accused of racism – even linked the findings to the infamous MacPherson report which found widespread evidence of racism within the Met Police.
While the authors were “not able to conclude definitively that NUS is institutionally racist,” they warned that they had not investigated as fully as they would have liked, and that some individuals had refused to give evidence.
They noted: “Caution and distrust pervades … at all levels of the organisation,” adding: “We required closer and prolonged scrutiny of organisational practice and policies that was not possible within the agreed timeframe.”
The authors have suggested 24 separate recommendations to resolve the racism problem, including “race equality” training for the executive team, a “mentor” on race issues for the NUS President, and the creation of guidelines on acceptable forms of debate.
The NUS has now accepted the report’s recommendations “without reservation” and apologised to those affected.
NUS President Malia Bouattia said: “I want to reaffirm my absolute commitment to challenging all forms of racism in every corner of our society.
“The serious failings of NUS to respond to race and racism effectively are clear and I will lead the organisation to do everything in its power to address and change this.”
Last week black students walked out of the NUS’s National Executive Council meeting claiming they faced “insufferable” racism within the group.
NUS Black Students Officer Aadam Muuse blasted “institutionally racist practices” while NUS Women’s Officer Hareem Ghani said non-white students were “much more” at risk of abuse than white counterparts.
Algerian refugee Bouattia, who triggered the probe due to a complaint she made while serving as Black Students’ Officer last year, was herself recently accused of anti-Semitism after dubbing Birmingham University a “Zionist outpost”.
In October a Home Affairs Select Committee criticised Bouattia over the “unacceptable” and “racist” comments, and also concluded that the NUS had not taken seriously anti-Semitism on campuses.
NUS Vice President Shelly Asquith, who is a senior member of activist group Stand Up To Racism, is a close ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
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