Lanny Hoskins: Hope for Spellings

Regarding the Oct. 24 news article “UNC’s next chief ready for challenge”: Setting aside the manner in which Margaret Spellings was elected, I can only hope she ends up a smart and wonderful choice as president of the UNC system.

However, other than being able to say, “Look, everybody, we made sure a person with a GOP tie is now president of our university system,” I’m not sure what the UNC board had in mind.

I can only hope that our university system doesn’t ultimately sink to the low regard our public education system seems to currently have.

Although I agree with these words actor Spencer Tracy spoke in the film “Inherit The Wind,” I have a hunch there are many people in the state legislature that would disagree with them: “In a child’s power to master the multiplication tables there is more sanctity than in all your shouted amens, and holy holies and hosannas. An idea is a greater monument than a cathedral, and the advance of man’s knowledge is a greater miracle than all the sticks turned to snakes or parting of the waters.”

This story was originally published October 31, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Lanny Hoskins: Hope for Spellings."