Professor Watchlist

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/professor-watchlist

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the website operator?Turning Point USA, a conservative advocacy organization
2. What is the launch year?2016
3. Why do many people say Professor Watchlist is a problem?Teachers, scholars and newspapers say the list can scare professors, make them hide their ideas, and even lead to dangerous threats.
4. How did professors respond to being on the list?In December 2016, about 1,500 professors from around the world signed a petition to add their own names to the list, showing support for their colleagues.

Academic Freedom: The liberty of teachers and students to discuss and explore ideas without fear of punishment or censorship.
Advocacy Organization: A group that publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.
McCarthyism: A campaign against alleged communists in the US government and other institutions in the 1950s, characterized by unsubstantiated accusations and a climate of fear.
Propaganda: Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.