ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

A US university worker has been fired after he made high school students line up according to the colour of their skin.

The recruiter, from Oklahoma Christian University, visited Harding Charter Preparatory High School ostensibly to discuss college admissions.

However, student Korey Todd told local broadcaster KFOR-TV the man “barely talked about the school itself,” instead making the teenagers “play a little game”.

“He was like, ‘All right, let’s play a little game,’” Mr Todd told the TV station.

“Then he said, ‘Okay everyone, now line up from darkest to lightest skin complexion’.”

The pupils, aged between 16 and 17, were then told to shuffle again.

“He told us to line up nappiest hair in the back and straightest hair in the front,” student Rio Brown said. “Nappy” is historically used as a derogatory term to describe the hair of black people.

Oklahoma Christian University told KFOR-TV that the recruiter had since been fired and that it didn’t approve the “inappropriate activity in advance.”

The university said its admissions staff would be visiting the high school on Monday to apologise.

Harding’s headmaster Steven Stefanick said the recruiter “led a group activity with our students that involved inappropriate and hurtful statements.”

He said the high school didn’t condone any behaviour that “undermines our community’s values.”