Since middle school, I've been a consistent reader of The Day. For the last 8 or so years, I've considered columnist David Collins a must-read. His investigative work is tremendous and he preserves democracy by holding local government accountable. This is why I was so disappointed in his recent column calling out a conservative UConn professor. I don't agree with the professor, but Collins came across as petty and small. The issue at hand was, in the grand scheme of things, unimportant. Certainly beneath Collins. Far worse was his characterization that those without college degrees are stupid. Not only is this wildly untrue, but it is exactly that type of remark that causes the divisiveness we face every day in this country.

Those who never went to college have been fed the idea that they are bastions for communists indoctrinating their children when that could not be further from the truth. Most college professors are people with families who want a better future for their children, their students and their country. However, here comes Mr. Collins, confirming everything Fox News tells folks about the liberal elite: they are over-educated snobs that don't respect people without a college degree. The Right's bogeyman personified.

Michael Stroneski

New London