​A Huddersfield academic says black and ethnic minority teachers face racism within their profession which stops them climbing the career ladder.

Huddersfield University professor Paul Miller has developed a theory that black and minority ethnic (BME) teachers and academics in England depend on “white sanction” in order to fulfil their potential.

Prof Miller argues that “the promotion and prospects of BME teachers and academics has more or less flatlined.” He includes statistics, such as the fact that of the 8.4 million pupils at English state schools, more than 25% have minority ethnic origins yet 87% of the country’s 454,900 teachers are white British.

There are approximately 18,000 qualified BME teachers, with 1,000 in leadership roles, but only 104 of them are head teachers. The professor found equivalent patterns in Higher Education.

Prof Paul Miller has published an article that analyses official statistics plus evidence culled from a series of interviews and he demonstrates that BME educationalists require endorsement from white colleagues if they are to climb the career ladder.

Now, he plans further research on the role played by race in English education and his “white sanction” concept will be explored at a special seminar to take place at Huddersfield University in March 2017.

In his article – published by the journal Power and Education – Professor Miller writes that “BME academics and teachers should not need to rely on a ‘white sanction’ to legitimise and enable them.”

He adds: “In 21st Century England, a multi-racial and multi-cultural country, any suggestion of ethnic and/or racial superiority should be vigorously pushed back and talents, skills and voices from all ethnicities legitimised and respected.”

He calls for robust monitoring of existing policies to see that they are being followed.

He states: “There are many provisions in the Equalities Act which place a duty upon organisations to be more inclusive. What I want is greater policy accountability.”

He claims that “white sanction will prevail in contexts where government policies lack enforcement and monitoring.”

During his research, Professor Miller conducted interviews with BME academics and teachers at universities and schools. Some felt that racial discrimination had held back their career progression.

He said “several participants expressed that white colleagues were like ‘gatekeepers’ and there was no way you could get a job without first impressing and/or forming an alliance with them.”

Jamaican-born Professor Miller has widespread experience of lecturing and research in UK Higher Education. His appointment at Huddersfield University this year meant he became the first black academic to be appointed to a Professorship in Educational Leadership and Management at any British university.