Lee Jasper: "White teachers harass black children"

Mr Jasper said black children were continually harassed and bullied by white teachers in what he called a "culture of institutionalised racism".

Studies have consistently shown that black children underachieve academically and are proportionally far more likely to be excluded than their white counterparts.

Mr Jasper said that although ideally black and white children should be educated together, that would not work in the present environment.

"Eventually the only credible solution is for the black community to take responsibility for educating our own," said Mr Jasper.

He called on the black community to apply for funding available for independent state schools to set up institutions staffed by black teachers and run by black governors.

'Parents want quality'

But a specialist on race and education matters took issue with Mr Jasper's call.

Dr Tony Sewell, a lecturer in education at Leeds University, said that logistically the idea was flawed as there were already too few black teachers.

Dr Sewell said such an idea might work in the US but the UK was very different.

Tony Sewell: Black schools not solution to under-achievement

"What we try and do in England is copy the US because it sounds good and a bit sexy, but the way the US is set up is completely different.

"They have huge cities which are de facto black anyway - there really isn't anywhere in Britain where we have those kinds of numbers," Dr Sewell said.

Dr Sewell added that there was already at least one religious school in London which was effectively all-black but said results there were only "fairly average".

"I'm after quality and parents are after quality, that's the ultimate aim here," he said.