Opinion: Spellings could become a positive force at UNC

Last week, Margaret Spellings told The Daily Tar Heel that she does not have a “discriminatory bone in (her) body."

This, it seems, served to explain her public comments in October where she referred to members of the LGBTQ community as exercising a “lifestyle choice.” Granted, Spellings expressed regret over the use of the term “lifestyle” in her recent DTH interview.

Her prior actions do give us reason to pause. UNC-system President-elect Spellings’ controversy with PBS articulated a distinct stance on the place of LGBTQ communities within institutions of public education. In her first official act as secretary of education, she threatened to cut PBS funding over a children’s TV episode briefly depicting a family with same-sex parents; she sent a strong statement. This statement was: LGBTQ visibility should not be supported by public funding.

This message, of course, suggests that she is unlikely to protect and prioritize initiatives that support the LGBTQ community at UNC, whereas our university community holds acceptance and visibility for diverse populations as a cornerstone of our public institution.

However, this controversy happened more than 10 years ago. We are willing to grant Spellings the benefit of the doubt, and we urge the UNC community to do the same. We do so, however, on a condition: that her actions as president of the UNC system support — and prioritize — these inclusive values.

This appeal is not simply a moral pleading. It is a warning.

For if some forces in the state feel that Spellings’ hire is an opportunity to turn back the clock with little fight, they are sorely mistaken. The clock will continue to wind forward on this issue — and for the better. Polling data of young people suggests an overwhelming support for equality regarding the LGBTQ community. As the University is a community largely defined by young people, this battle as judged by present position and predictable momentum is over.

If these conservative forces wish to test the mettle of our community and its potential ability to organize and vocalize in defense of our LGBTQ members, in the words of Spellings’ former employer, President George W. Bush: “Bring ’em on.” But we expect Spellings to realize that she has much to gain by not counting herself among them.

Moreover, we hope that Spellings will see the opportunity that lies in the firestorm over her prior statements; if she learns from the community’s warnings before taking office, she has the potential to win over the hearts and minds of the community on this issue. Should Spellings recognize that we, as a public institution, are not neutral — that our community and university hold deeply rooted values of inclusivity and diverse opportunity — she could take action early to gain our support.

We hope, with proper respect on both sides, Spellings can get on with her role in our community in a productive and healthy manner. All community members wholly deserve this chance. In a potential reversal of the values she espoused in her first days in office as secretary of education, she could take this action by using her first days in office as president of our University system to recognize LGBTQ initiatives across UNC campuses.

Spellings has not yet irrevocably lost this community’s support. But she needs to listen and heed the voices of concern raised by students and faculty. If she can recognize and adopt the values of our university, regardless of whether they align with her personal values, then she’s more than capable of being an acceptable system president. Should she choose to do this, she could face a much smoother road ahead.