The University of Manchester (UoM) has launched an investigation into allegations a member of staff said the n-word in lectures and seminars.
After a group of students, named UoM Black Students Matter, published an open later this week claiming that the city’s largest university allows members of its staff to “say the n-word” during lecturers and seminars, the University of Manchester has confirmed an investigation has now been launched and is currently ongoing.
The university says it has “been made aware” of the open letter this week, and is now investigating the matter “as a priority”.
UoM Black Students Matter’s letter was published on Monday (13 February), and details a number of alleged instances in which the n-word was used during education contact hours – which the group says caused “distress to black students”.
Allegations referred to in the open later, and the walk-outs staged as a result, largely refer to the University of Manchester’s French Department.
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Investigation launched over claims University of Manchester staff ‘says n-word’ in lectures / Credit: University of Manchester
The group claims in the letter that one student, who wishes to remain anonymous, left a seminar where the n-word was used and “cried walking down Oxford Road”, and although it’s revealed in the letter that this alleged instance was reported to the university and an apology was offered to the student, the anonymous student was said to have refused a private apology and requested a written one instead – yet the group claims the student did not receive this.
In another instance referred to in the open lecture, another student who wished to remain anonymous said that Dr Barbara Lebrun from the French Department had said the “violently anti-black slur ‘n***** in both French and English”, The Mancunion reports.
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The student also said “Barbara is completely aware of the distress this causes Black students and yet continues to use that racial slur”.
“We really did not think it would come to us having to write this,” the group’s open letter reads.
“After the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, the university released a statement saying that the UoM is ‘categorically clear that we will never accept discrimination in any form’.”
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The institution says it is investigating the allegations “as a priority” / Credit: University of Manchester
Initially addressing the publishing of the open letter and confirming the launch of the investigation, a UoM spokesperson said this week: “We have been made aware of the letter and the events during the lecture and we are investigating as a priority.
“We are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in all of our activities.”
The University of Manchester has been until Friday 20 February by the group to respond to the letter.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Six teenage boys arrested following stabbing of 13-year-old in Rochdale town centre
Emily Sergeant
Six teenage boys have been arrested following the stabbing of a 13-year-old in Rochdale town centre over the weekend.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers were called out to reports of a ‘serious assault’ near the Riverside Shopping Centre in central Rochdale on Saturday (29 August), and when they arrived on the scene, they found that a 13-year-old boy had been stabbed.
The young boy currently remains in hospital receiving treatment, while a police investigation into the incident is open and ongoing.
Two teenage boys were first arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a bladed article on the same day the incident occurred (29 August), but have since been released on bail.
Officers then made four further arrests yesterday (31 August), again all teenage boys who were arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a bladed article, with enquires ongoing.
A Section 60 and 60AA ‘stop and search’ authority was introduced in Rochdale town centre following the recent incidents in area and following reports of youths carrying weapons in the locality, and this has now been extended to 3pm today (Tuesday 1 September).
“This was a serious and sustained attack that could have had far more tragic consequences,” explained Detective Superintendent, Richard Hunt .”Our team of experienced detectives is working around the clock to understand exactly what happened, identify all those involved, and secure the strongest possible evidence.
“We will relentlessly pursue every lead available to us and will leave no stone unturned in bringing all those responsible before the courts.
“Community safety remains our absolute priority, and we are committed to ensuring those who seek to bring violence onto our streets are held fully accountable for their actions.”
Can you help? Anyone who witnessed the incident, was in the town centre at the time, or has any mobile phone, CCTV, or dashcam footage, is urged to come forward and speak to police on 101, quoting log 2750 of 29/08/2026, or using the LiveChat function on the GMP website.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
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High School Musical at Lowry, Salford – a night spent reliving our childhood | Review
Amy Williams
What a night spent reliving our childhood.
Now, I don’t want to exaggerate or seem biased, considering this is one of my favourite film trilogies of all time, but this could be the best stage show I’ve seen in a long while.
We all know how High School Musical goes, right? Set at East High, we follow Troy and Gabriella (the star basketball player, and the geeky new girl) who meet over New Year, and then become ‘star-crossed lovers’ when back at school as they’re part of two different ‘cliques’.
The duo mess with the ‘Status Quo’ when they audition for the school musical. But will they stick to what they know? Or become stars of the stage? I’m sure you know the ending.
High School Musical is currently on stage at Lowry, Salford / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
From the costumes and the characters, to the memorable songs (there’s actually 52 songs in this production, including a mega mix at the end), they’ve kept right to the script of the films – and that’s exactly what we wanted to see.
Of course, the biggest throwback of them all is Kaycee Stroh – who originally featured as Martha Cox in the film trilogy – taking the role as Ms Darbus, and she was just as incredible as we expected her to be. And to see her do the iconic dance in the finale was unbelievable, 13-year-old Amy was screaming.
Also featuring Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton, Tobias Turley as Troy, Leonor Correia as Gabriella, Caitlin Tipping Sharpay, and Luke Bayer as Ryan, it was a proper impressive cast all round.
It’s a night to properly relive your mid-00s childhood / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)
There was crowd interaction right from the off, as they taught the crowd a cheerleading routine to be included later in the show, plus for the finale, they had the lyrics on the big screen too so everyone could sing-along.
If we could go and see this show every single night, we would – it is absolutely brilliant.
Emily Sergeant -
15th February 2023 
