A former classmate of Professor Jason Arday has publicly disputed the academic's widely shared personal narrative, claiming Arday was not mute until age 11 but was, in fact, a "chatty patty" in primary school.

Professor Arday, 41, recently resigned from his position at the University of Cambridge amid allegations of plagiarism and embellishment of his personal life and achievements. The university has initiated an investigation into the claims, which have cast doubt on numerous details of his biography, including his charitable fundraising efforts and academic roles.

Arday has frequently spoken about his journey to academia, often citing challenges such as an autism diagnosis, global development delay, being non-verbal until age 11, and illiterate until 18. However, a TikTok user, who identifies as "strictlyvibeswithga," stated he attended Heathbrook Primary School in Lambeth at the same time as Arday and socialized with him through Sunday School and other activities.

In a series of videos posted on the social media platform, the TikToker alleged that Arday was "always chatting" and described him as a "class clown." He expressed disbelief at Arday's claims of mutism, stating, "I went school with you, I was in primary school with you."

Heathbrook Primary School had previously congratulated Arday on his appointment to Cambridge, with a spokesperson noting their shared aim to "inspire others from disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds."

The controversy surrounding Arday extends to allegations of plagiarism in his 2015 PhD thesis, though a previous investigation by Liverpool John Moores University had cleared him of such charges. More recently, questions have been raised about his claims of raising approximately $5.5 million for charity through fundraising efforts that included running 600 miles in six days. Arday later clarified that the fundraising involved multiple syndicates over 12 days and that he could not name contributors due to non-disclosure agreements.

Furthermore, discrepancies have emerged regarding academic roles he listed on his Cambridge biography. Universities including Ohio State, Glasgow, and Durham have disputed his claimed positions or stated he no longer held formal roles at their institutions.

An investigation by Times Higher Education magazine into Arday's record led him to file a police complaint against the journalist involved, an action that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner has since acknowledged was mishandled.

Both the University of Cambridge and the University of Glasgow have launched reviews into the processes surrounding Arday's appointments. Cambridge has stated its investigation into the circumstances of his appointment and tenure will continue, feeding into a broader review of senior academic role appointments. The University of Glasgow, where Arday served as Professor of Sociology of Education from January 2022 to March 2023, is also reviewing his appointment to understand all facts and learn lessons for the future.

In his resignation letter, Arday stated his decision to step away was the "only way to bring this chapter to an end," emphasizing it was not an admission of guilt or a loss of faith in scholarship, but rather a response to enduring immense personal pressure.

Discrepancies have also surfaced in the details of Arday's upcoming memoir. A proposal for the book reportedly included claims of locked-in syndrome, testicular cancer, a coma after being hit by a car, and a suicide attempt occurring before the pandemic. However, the final version of the memoir apparently omits or alters some of these details, such as the coma description, the type of cancer, the age of assailants in an anecdote about an assault leading to epilepsy, and the timing of the suicide attempt.

Representatives for Professor Arday have been contacted for comment. Investigations by Cambridge and Glasgow universities into the circumstances of his appointments and tenure are ongoing.