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Rightwing group offers students $100 to spy on professors

KidRocks

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Whitch hunt?

Could it be the r-wing operatives are out of control?

We already know that they are well paid to plant stories in the main-stream media here and in Iraq. We know about the plants they have in the White House press corps. We also know about the US military covertly planting stories in Iraqi newspapers. We know about Armstrong.

Power corrupts and it seems young republicans are taking their cue from Rush Limbaugh and President Bush and his "Culture of Corruption" Administration!

God help my country!









http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1689653,00.html

Rightwing group offers students $100 to spy on professors

It is the sort of invitation any poverty-stricken student would find hard to resist. "Do you have a professor who just can't stop talking about President Bush, about the war in Iraq, about the Republican party, or any other ideological issue that has nothing to do with the class subject matter? If you help ... expose the professor, we'll pay you for your work."

For full notes, a tape recording and a copy of all teaching materials, students at the University of California Los Angeles are being offered $100 (£57) - the tape recorder is provided free of charge - by an alumni group.

His latest project has academics worrying about moves by rightwing groups to counter what they perceive to be a leftist bias at many colleges.

The group's website, uclaprofs.com, lists 31 professors whose classes it considers worthy of scrutiny. The professors teach classes in history, African-American studies, politics, and Chicano studies. Their supposed radicalism is indicated on the site by a rating system of black fists. The organisation denies on the website that it is conducting a vendetta against those with differing political views. "We are concerned solely with indoctrination, one-sided presentation of ideological controversies and unprofessional classroom behaviour, no matter where it falls on the ideological spectrum."...
 
Culture of Corruption: The new liberal catch phrase. :roll:
 
KCConservative said:
Culture of Corruption: The new liberal catch phrase. :roll:

Well, it works for the republican party when they use their talking points. So why shouldn't the dems incorporate it?

I wonder if this is true. That sounds a little far fetched.
 
KCConservative said:
gee, ya think?

Do you have anything substantive to say, or do you just want to post one-liners that exude anger?
 
aps said:
Do you have anything substantive to say, or do you just want to post one-liners that exude anger?
I was agreeing with you, aps. Relax. No one is angry.
 
KCConservative said:
I was agreeing with you, aps. Relax. No one is angry.

Well, I should have used the word sarcastic/sarcasm. Sometimes, men need to be put in their place...you know? ;)
 
aps said:
Well, I should have used the word sarcastic/sarcasm. Sometimes, men need to be put in their place...you know? ;)

:shock:

If you can't handle sarcasm, then you can't handle me.
 
KCConservative said:
:shock:

If you can't handle sarcasm, then you can't handle me.

I can handle it because I use it. However, I was feeling like you were doing it in all your posts that I was reading today--or was this a ploy to get me to notice you? :lol:

If that is the case, let me tell you something--it worked. ;)
 
Actually, this isn't far fetched. It's real, although it's happening in a much different fashion than presented.

An alumni group at UCLA is concerned that liberal professors are stifling academic diversity in their classes, and are looking for evidence. They are asking students to tape the classes both as a way to collect evidence and as a deterrent for the professor. It's nowhere near as malicious as it seems. Read about it from a couple different sides here:

http://www.professorbainbridge.com/2006/01/bruin_alumni_as.html
 
RightatNYU said:
Actually, this isn't far fetched. It's real, although it's happening in a much different fashion than presented.

An alumni group at UCLA is concerned that liberal professors are stifling academic diversity in their classes, and are looking for evidence. They are asking students to tape the classes both as a way to collect evidence and as a deterrent for the professor. It's nowhere near as malicious as it seems. Read about it from a couple different sides here:

http://www.professorbainbridge.com/2006/01/bruin_alumni_as.html

I agree with you, partially. While trying to expose bias in professors is not altogether a terrible goal, the fact of the matter is that videotaping professors without their consent is against the school's policies - students recording their professors in this manner are breaking the rules they agreed to when they decided to attend.
 
Engimo said:
I agree with you, partially. While trying to expose bias in professors is not altogether a terrible goal, the fact of the matter is that videotaping professors without their consent is against the school's policies - students recording their professors in this manner are breaking the rules they agreed to when they decided to attend.

Those issues aside, it is just plain absurd to make the claims this group is making. Universities range from ultra conservative (like Duke, Campbell, and NCSU) to ultra liberal (like Berkley and UNC Chapel Hill). If a student doesnt want exposure to liberal idealogies then he/she needs to attend a conservative school. The same is true of those not wanting to indulge conservative ideologies. Professors are under absolutely no moral obligation to limit their bias in the classroom. Passion and bias are what lead most professors of humanities and social sciences to take their educations to the levels that they do...stifling their thought process and teaching styles is insane...and no one is asking the students to agree with the professors on these issues.
 
jallman said:
Those issues aside, it is just plain absurd to make the claims this group is making. Universities range from ultra conservative (like Duke, Campbell, and NCSU) to ultra liberal (like Berkley and UNC Chapel Hill). If a student doesnt want exposure to liberal idealogies then he/she needs to attend a conservative school. The same is true of those not wanting to indulge conservative ideologies. Professors are under absolutely no moral obligation to limit their bias in the classroom. Passion and bias are what lead most professors of humanities and social sciences to take their educations to the levels that they do...stifling their thought process and teaching styles is insane...and no one is asking the students to agree with the professors on these issues.

This is a good point, but there is certainly a point where bias can become excessive. When a professor allows his personal bias towards an ideology or mode of thought to overcome logic and evidence, then he has forfeitted his intellectual credibility and has moved outside of the realm of rational debate.

Of course there is no way to separate professors from their ideologies, and nor should we try, but excessive bias is certainly a problem.
 
Engimo said:
This is a good point, but there is certainly a point where bias can become excessive. When a professor allows his personal bias towards an ideology or mode of thought to overcome logic and evidence, then he has forfeitted his intellectual credibility and has moved outside of the realm of rational debate.

Of course there is no way to separate professors from their ideologies, and nor should we try, but excessive bias is certainly a problem.
Doesn't even have to be excessive...1% can be considered excessive when you're listening to a diatribe from a professor about politics...

...in math class...

I wouldn't mind a professor saying what he feels in relationship to politics IF that, is indeed, the reason for the class...

But if I'm payin' money for astronomy, chemistry, and trig, I don't want my professor telling me about his feelings on the current foreign policy on MY time...
 
cnredd said:
Doesn't even have to be excessive...1% can be considered excessive when you're listening to a diatribe from a professor about politics...

...in math class...

I wouldn't mind a professor saying what he feels in relationship to politics IF that, is indeed, the reason for the class...

But if I'm payin' money for astronomy, chemistry, and trig, I don't want my professor telling me about his feelings on the current foreign policy on MY time...

That was sort of implied in what I was saying. Obviously professors should not be interjecting entirely irrelevant subject matter into their classes; it clearly does a disservice to the students if they are hearing about the evils of Communism during their calculus class.
 
Engimo said:
That was sort of implied in what I was saying. Obviously professors should not be interjecting entirely irrelevant subject matter into their classes; it clearly does a disservice to the students if they are hearing about the evils of Communism during their calculus class.
Yup...:cool:
 
Engimo said:
That was sort of implied in what I was saying. Obviously professors should not be interjecting entirely irrelevant subject matter into their classes; it clearly does a disservice to the students if they are hearing about the evils of Communism during their calculus class.

Not only that. I first heard of this story on NPR and the president of this Republican group was interviewed. He said a majority of the reasoning behind this action was because conservative students, in relative discussions, have been "stifled" of expressing their views, or have their views completely dissed by said "liberal" professors. Now in politics, sociology, and religion.. views will ALWAYS clash. If professors ARE stifling the views of those who aren't agreement with the teacher's views, exposing this to the University board is necessary. However, I think there's a bit more to it than that. One professor, who appeared on the list of liberal professors, says she's had to limit what she can say in class, because of possible reprecussuions, and that I don't condone, not in the classroom. If adults can't speak, without acting like children, we're doomed.
 
The only time educational bias can really affective is when your teaching first years and constantly talking about how bad he is. However this is ulitimately futile as a parent is more influential in a childs life then a teacher. Bias, whether you want to believe it or not, isn't an effective means of propaganda. My speech teacher is a conservative. I get into debates with her all the time. ON the contrary to actually encouraging conservatism or liberalism, it more or less drives kids away from. I went to Catholic school all my life and I never was affected by conservative propaganda. Why should anyone else be?
 
Engimo said:
I agree with you, partially. While trying to expose bias in professors is not altogether a terrible goal, the fact of the matter is that videotaping professors without their consent is against the school's policies - students recording their professors in this manner are breaking the rules they agreed to when they decided to attend.

i dont believe they're asking them to break the rules. many classrooms allow taping for note purposes, so in those scenarios, its alright.
 
debate_junkie said:
Not only that. I first heard of this story on NPR and the president of this Republican group was interviewed. He said a majority of the reasoning behind this action was because conservative students, in relative discussions, have been "stifled" of expressing their views, or have their views completely dissed by said "liberal" professors. Now in politics, sociology, and religion.. views will ALWAYS clash. If professors ARE stifling the views of those who aren't agreement with the teacher's views, exposing this to the University board is necessary. However, I think there's a bit more to it than that. One professor, who appeared on the list of liberal professors, says she's had to limit what she can say in class, because of possible reprecussuions, and that I don't condone, not in the classroom. If adults can't speak, without acting like children, we're doomed.

Well, dont take things at face value.

That liberal professor "said" that she has had to limit what shes said in class.

If there's one thing that elderly liberal senior university professors are fantastic at, its playing the oppressed victim.
 
RightatNYU said:
i dont believe they're asking them to break the rules. many classrooms allow taping for note purposes, so in those scenarios, its alright.

Yes, but in this case the students were breaking copyright by selling the lectures without the permission of the school and instructor.
 
jallman said:
Those issues aside, it is just plain absurd to make the claims this group is making. Universities range from ultra conservative (like Duke, Campbell, and NCSU) to ultra liberal (like Berkley and UNC Chapel Hill). If a student doesnt want exposure to liberal idealogies then he/she needs to attend a conservative school. The same is true of those not wanting to indulge conservative ideologies. Professors are under absolutely no moral obligation to limit their bias in the classroom. Passion and bias are what lead most professors of humanities and social sciences to take their educations to the levels that they do...stifling their thought process and teaching styles is insane...and no one is asking the students to agree with the professors on these issues.

You just refuse to accept this as a real issue, and if I used your logic, I would tell you to just move to San Fran, if you don't want to be gay bashed.:roll:

I am all for this, it is quite obvious to me, that some folks need solid proof, because they are living in a dream world.
 
Deegan said:
You just refuse to accept this as a real issue, and if I used your logic, I would tell you to just move to San Fran, if you don't want to be gay bashed.:roll:

I am all for this, it is quite obvious to me, that some folks need solid proof, because they are living in a dream world.

Psht, as if Conservative professors don't exist.
 
Engimo said:
Yes, but in this case the students were breaking copyright by selling the lectures without the permission of the school and instructor.

The lectures themselves aren't being used for profit, but rather to keep a record of the statements in class. The Alumni group is claiming its protected under a general news-documenting and advocacy loophole for classroom recording. And if the alumni group doesnt disclose the names of the students, the uni has absolutely nothing to work with. burden of proof is quite lovely.

And give them some credit, its a rather sizeable group of UCLA alumni with lots of $$ and legal counsel. I'm quite sure they've thought of and addressed this issue already, and have ways around it.
 
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