BUTTE — A human rights group based here in Montana is calling for the removal of a postdoctoral researcher who also oversees students at Montana Tech. They say that he has made online comments on hate groups over the years and his influence is not good for the students.
He says that the online persona that they are referring to is not him.
"So a few months ago we learned that one of the faculty members here at Montana Tech had been posting on online forums pro-white supremacy and pro-white nationalist rhetoric," says Niki Zupanic, the interim executive director of the Montana Human Rights Network.
Zupanic says an anonymous blogger complied years worth of posts made by Dr. Trenin Bayless under various pseudonyms. She says the blogger uses information within the posts like vehicles, family members, and references to his work that link Dr. Bayless to the online persona posting to hate group forums.
"There were a whole host of people and groups that Dr. Bayless expressed really negative beliefs about and that included members of the LGBTQ community, women, and people of color," says Zupanic.
"I’m not the frothing-at-the-mouth racist they claim that I was and if I was, the university would have never extended my contract in the first place. They extended my contract because they know my character," says Bayless, a postdoctoral researcher in the metallurgical and materials engineering department.
Dr. Bayless says the blog is childish and poorly researched. He calls the blog electioneering because he is a candidate for the House District 74 seat running against Marc Lee, a Democrat.
Bayless says MHRN’s actions are politically motivated, but in a text message Niki says that MHRN does not weigh in on candidate campaigns and as a public employee, the concern is for Dr. Bayless’s students.
I reached out to some student groups on campus who declined to comment on the blog post, saying that they are afraid of Dr. Bayless’s followers on campus.
"I don’t have any students who follow me. That’s ridiculous. I hang out with my graduate students and they’re almost all sub-Saharan African," says Dr. Bayless.
In a letter to university officials, MHRN voiced concerns over the influence Dr. Bayless could have over Tech students.
"We know that this person, Dr. Trenin Bayless, is responsible for supervising students, assisting students, supporting them as they go throughout their academic careers and we were very concerned that the views that Dr. Bayless was posting online would undermine the ability of those students to be able to succeed," says Zupanic.
Zupanic says MHRN would like to see the university investigate the claims that are being made against Dr. Bayless. Earlier this summer, Tech renewed Dr. Bayless's contract.
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"Ironically enough, I’m still working at Montana Tech pretty much solely because of this," says Bayless. He waves the letter around.
"If this hadn’t happened, I would have a much easier time working in the industry. But, because, as JD Vance would say, HR has been captured by a specific demographic it’s very difficult to seek work elsewhere. While this is going on."
I ask him what demographic he is referring to.
"What JD Vance said about cat ladies that’s been making its way around the news," said Bayless.
Dr. Bayless says he feels bullied by the threat that he should be removed from his job. His contract is up for renewal at the end of the year.
"The statements that were posted online really can be harmful but I want folks to know that they are not alone," says Zupanic.
I reached out to officials at Montana Tech for comment. They say if a student experiences discrimination, they can report it to the Title IX Coordinator on campus.
