122 Professors

It’s one of the oldest temptations walking around on two legs: A man will try most anything to get his hands on a dollar – and the other morning 122 professors proved they’re no exception.

Over in Chapel Hill at a Board of Governors meeting one of the trustees stood up and said it was time to stop the university’s Civil Rights Center from suing school boards and everyday people and working hand in glove with the ACLU and the NAACP to file political lawsuits.

The News and Observer then published two editorials and a letter to the editor (from the 122 professors) saying each of those lawsuits had been a fine high sounding public service and, what’s more, the Center hadn’t spent one dollar of “state funds.”  

Which was odd.

Because just like the History Department the UNC-Center is part of the university – it’s not a private institution. It’s not independent. And the money it spends – sitting in university bank accounts – is state money.

The Center filed one lawsuit – that lasted four years – accusing Pitt County of re-segregating its schools. It filed three legal actions against the Wake County School Board. It opposed charter schools, school vouchers, defended Moral Monday protestors and pretty much served as a pro bono law firm for the ACLU and the NAACP.

But even after the trustee explained the problem the professors didn’t budge: Instead, compounding one vice with another they tried a little sleight of hand by claiming the Center didn’t spend state money.

 It’s more than likely the professors will flamoozle the Board of Governors. They usually do. But that won’t be the end of the story: Because next the Board has to face the General Assembly and convincing Phil Berger and Andy Wells money sitting in state bank accounts aren’t isn’t money may be a short conversation.

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Carter Wrenn

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122 Professors

It’s one of the oldest temptations walking around on two legs: A man will try most anything to get his hands on a dollar – and the other morning 122 professors proved they’re no exception.

Over in Chapel Hill at a Board of Governors meeting one of the trustees stood up and said it was time to stop the university’s Civil Rights Center from suing school boards and everyday people and working hand in glove with the ACLU and the NAACP to file political lawsuits.

The News and Observer then published two editorials and a letter to the editor (from the 122 professors) saying each of those lawsuits had been a fine high sounding public service and, what’s more, the Center hadn’t spent one dollar of “state funds.”  

Which was odd.

Because just like the History Department the UNC-Center is part of the university – it’s not a private institution. It’s not independent. And the money it spends – sitting in university bank accounts – is state money.

The Center filed one lawsuit – that lasted four years – accusing Pitt County of re-segregating its schools. It filed three legal actions against the Wake County School Board. It opposed charter schools, school vouchers, defended Moral Monday protestors and pretty much served as a pro bono law firm for the ACLU and the NAACP.

But even after the trustee explained the problem the professors didn’t budge: Instead, compounding one vice with another they tried a little sleight of hand by claiming the Center didn’t spend state money.

 It’s more than likely the professors will flamoozle the Board of Governors. They usually do. But that won’t be the end of the story: Because next the Board has to face the General Assembly and convincing Phil Berger and Andy Wells money sitting in state bank accounts aren’t isn’t money may be a short conversation.

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Carter Wrenn

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