David Muritu worked at the college for six years before being dismissed
David Muritu worked at the college for six years before being dismissed

A lecturer who was sacked for writing ‘racist’ on an anti-extremism poster said he has launched an appeal against the ‘outrageous decision’.

David Muritu, who was employed by Sandwell College in the West Midlands, was fired after also writing ‘should be illegal’ on a poster promoting the Prevent scheme, which aims to tackle radicalisation.

The scheme places a legal duty on schools and colleges to raise the alarm about students they think could be at risk of being radicalised.

Mr Muritu says he sticks by his beliefs that the ‘programme is racist’, given that it ‘disproportionately targets Muslim students’, however apologises for the ‘methods he used’.

He told Metro.co.uk that one of the initial guidance notes that was issued by the government for the scheme was that if teachers saw ‘groups of Asian students hanging around a computer together, then they should report it’.

Sacked lecturer says he was asked to 'report Asian students hanging around a computer'
Mr Muritu says he wrote on the poster out of ‘frustration’ at racism (Picture: David Muritu)

Mr Muritu said he had written on the poster out of frustration, and that he was ‘sorry’.

He claims the college sacked him for ‘causing serious damage to college property’.

Mr Muritu says the college had initially alleged he had brought it into ‘disrepute’, however he was dismissed for ‘damage to college property’, with the college backtracking on the initial claim.

The lecturer says it could not have brought the college into disripute, ‘because the poster was only up for an hour’.

He has since lodged an appeal against his dismissal and is awaiting to hear back from the college.

More than 5,000 people have signed a petition in support of his case.

Sacked lecturer says he was asked to 'report Asian students hanging around a computer'
A petition in support of Mr Muritu has over 5,000 signatures (Picture: David Muritu)

Mr Muritu who is also a branch secretary for the University and College Union (UCU), described the college’s decision to sack him for gross misconduct as ‘completely disproportionate.’

He said: ‘I’ve apologised for what I’ve done, I’ve said I’m sorry.

‘I feel the Prevent scheme destroys the trust between lecturers and students, in a learning environment we need to have that trust, we’re turned into spies.’

He said students needed to feel comfortable in approaching teachers with their ideas, so if they were found to be troubling, teachers could challenge them in the classroom.

‘But with this scheme, students are not prepared to do that,’ Mr Muritu added.

Mr Muritu says he hasn’t been paid his notice and the dismissal has had a real impact on him and his family, including his two children.

He said that his rent was due in a few days’ time and he was in a ‘frightening position’.

Sandwell college has previously said it was ‘dismayed’ by his remarks in the media.

A college spokeswoman said: ‘As with all colleges, Sandwell college takes its government statutory safeguarding and prevent duties very seriously and has the same high expectation of its staff.

‘We pride ourselves on promoting our core values of respect, tolerance and promoting diversity in a positive manner.

‘The college is dismayed with recent comments made by Mr Muritu reported in the media.

‘However, it does not comment in detail on internal procedural matters.’

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