University of Groningen lecturer spread conspiracy theories

Associate Professor Tjeerd Andringa is no longer permitted to teach a course on critical thinking at the University of Groningen. His performance is being reviewed because he preached conspiracy theories in his classes.

Students have told university news medium UKrant that Andringa tried to convert them to his own ‘alternative truth’. For instance, he spoke out against vaccinations, he talked of ‘the dominance of the Jew’ and spread his conspiracy theories about the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York.

Under supervision

Andringa received an official reprimand from the university after a complaint from a student. In addition, his lectures are to be supervised for three years.

“Based on what we saw, we decided that no improvement plan was possible”, director Sander van den Bos of University College Groningen tells UKrant. The course has now been shelved completely. “Teaching students to think critically is important, but it has to be done within ethical boundaries”, he explains.

A spokesperson for university confirms the news. She says that the associate professor is being allowed to continue teaching other courses. But an investigation is still under way into the ‘educational quality’ of his classes.

Andringa has told NRC that he will give a reaction next week. He let slip, however, that in his view ‘more shading and reality in the news cycle’ is needed.