A classics dilemma

Re “Turning academia into a cafeteria,” Opinion, Nov. 23

Russell Jacoby was right to warn of the damage to public universities from so-called choice in the curriculum. At Cal Poly, where I have taught for 38 years, the history department recently decided to expel the only course in Greek and Roman history in the curriculum. At the same time, it added two new courses: “Versions of the Past: Novels, Comics and Movies” and “The Historical Novel in the United States, 1960s to the Present.” I was the only person in the university who tried prevent the elimination of Greek and Roman history from the curriculum. I still have e-mails sent by a history faculty member vilifying me for my efforts.

GEORGE M. LEWIS

Professor Emeritus of Mathematics

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo