Last week, writer Sara Pequeño chronicled UNC-Chapel Hill leaders’ comments on the Board of Trustees’ unprecedented decision not to offer acclaimed journalist and UNC alumna Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure as the school’s Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism. 

Our readers had some things to say.

 “The Board, political appointees all, amounts to little more than Thought Police, exactly like the hard-right conservatives in the Assembly who appointed them,” wrote Facebook user David Streifford. 

 “We know what they are. They’re Republicans. Also known as ignorant monsters. Destroy without knowledge is their motto,” wrote commenter Harriette Owen Griffin. 

“I see their bigotry,” commenter Robin Cubbon said succinctly. 

 We also published a letter from UNC students addressing the Board of Trustees’ decision on our website. Most of our readers who saw it applauded the students’ letter.

 “Powerful, inspiring letter from young leaders explicitly addresses the cowardice of our institutions,” tweeted berkeley b stewart.

 “This thoughtful and poignant letter makes me proud to be an alum. I stand with you,” tweeted Jaci Field.  

As always, the naysayers weighed in. 

“Nothing egregious here,” wrote Facebook commenter MJ Hyde. “Just a decision made by a group of people designated to make decisions. Do you feel better making EVERYTHING into an issue? You are judging the people and institution as “bad” because you disagree with a decision they were authorized to make. Did they not offer her a 5 year non-tenure position??? EVERYBODY that you disagree with is entitled to only the outcomes that YOU deem fair??? Insanity.”

“Liberal paper with liberal readers. no neutrality at all,” MJ Hyde added.

It’s true! We’re guilty as charged.