Seattle talk radio host Jason Rantz has recently revealed in an op-ed how University of Washington faculty, through the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), are actively trying to conceal their political organizing efforts from the public eye. This information stems from an email forwarded by UW professor Abraham Flaxman, which included a warning from AAUP leadership about the potential exposure of members’ privacy if emails were sent to employer-issued addresses.
The email highlighted the risk of employers or legislators accessing these communications, emphasizing the need for privacy protection.
Rantz emphasizes that this behavior is not about ordinary privacy concerns but rather about concealing ideological activism disguised as academic freedom from taxpayers and the media.
The AAUP has encouraged faculty to update their contact information with personal emails and cell phone numbers for “rapid response work,” indicating a shift towards political campaigning rather than academic discourse. Rantz aptly notes that this move aims to facilitate political activism without public accountability.
He argues that the AAUP’s focus on protecting messages sent to .edu addresses is not about safeguarding research or academic discourse but rather about shielding professors’ political activities.
Rantz raises concerns about the hypocrisy of faculty advocating for transparency while actively trying to conceal their activism. He points out that hosting the listserv on UW’s platform may not necessarily protect them from records laws, highlighting the lack of accountability in their actions.
According to Rantz, the larger issue at hand is the transformation of professors into activists who prioritize political agendas over educational responsibilities. This behavior undermines the trust and transparency expected from educators who are funded by taxpayers.
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