The UKFIET Trustees and Executive Committee, like so many others in our community, were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Professor Jason Arday. Our deepest condolences go to Professor Arday’s family, friends, and colleagues.
We write here to express our grief and to reach out with care to all those who are most affected by this tragic news and to those who knew and worked with Professor Arday.
Jason dedicated his career to countering racism and advancing equity in education. That he ultimately fell victim to racism in multiple ways — not least through the relentless media scrutiny he faced towards the end of his life — is something that should compel each of us to reflect seriously on how we treat colleagues who experience hostility, disproportionate scrutiny, or harm. As a community, we must ask difficult questions of ourselves, about the fairness of the structures we operate within, and how we challenge them.
We express our particular solidarity with the communities of students, academics, and researchers, including black and minority ethnic, neurodiverse, and LGBTQ minorities, and with faculty and staff at Cambridge, who may feel especially vulnerable or distressed at this time. We see you, and we stand with you.
The circumstances surrounding Jason’s death must not weaken our collective commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. If anything, they remind us how urgent and necessary that commitment remains.
UKFIET hopes to provide a space in the coming period for our community to continue reflecting on these issues together — on how we support one another, how we maintain integrity when there are disagreements, and how we build a scholarly community worthy of those who have dedicated their lives to justice in education. As always, we welcome suggestions from our membership on how best UKFIET can facilitate these important conversations.
UKFIET Trustees and Executive Committee