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Academic freedom is meaningless unless it means that academics can express unpopular views without the slightest fear of institutional reprisal.

The action being taken by Leeds University against Frank Ellis must, therefore, be abhorrent to all who value academic freedom as a bedrock of academic discourse ("Council calls for Ellis to be sacked", May 19). I can only assume that in supporting Leeds in the action it has taken, the vast majority of members of the Association of University Teachers' council simply do not understand what this freedom is all about.

Geoffrey Alderman
Patron, Council for Academic Freedom