Republican offers cash to students who inform on left-wing professors
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The University of California's Los Angeles campus is in turmoil after a Republican graduate offered students money to record classes of professors they suspect of left-wing bias and "indoctrination".
Andrew Jones has drawn up a hitlist of professors he refers to as the "dirty 30" at UCLA. He has devoted many pages of his website to denouncing their supposed malfeasance.
"Do you have a professor who just can't stop talking about President Bush, about Howard Dean, about the war in Iraq... or any other ideological issue that has nothing to do with the class subject matter?" he asks in his recruitment statement. He adds: "If you can help... collect information about abusive, one-sided or off-topic classroom behaviour, we'll pay you for your work."
Mr Jones's targets have accused him of trying to conduct McCarthy-like witch-hunts at one of the most prestigious universities in the United States. They also think his offers of cash for lecture notes and recordings of professors violate university rules and intellectual property law.
"These are young ayatollahs declaring a fatwa against the infidels," said Andrew Apter of the history department. He is not on the list, but several of his friends and colleagues are.
So far, only one student has signed up to record his professor, leading many targeted faculty members to believe their best strategy might be to lie low and let the right-wing ideologues tear each other apart.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments