VMI has tolerated 'racist and sexist culture' and must change, investigation finds

Source: Washington Post

VMI has tolerated ‘racist and sexist culture’ and must change, investigation finds

By Ian Shapira
June 1, 2021 at 6:55 p.m. EDT

An independent investigation of the culture at Virginia Military Institute released Tuesday found a “racist and sexist culture,” fierce resistance to change, and a fear of retaliation among students and faculty who want to report bigotry or sexual misconduct to administrators.

“This investigation found that institutional racism and sexism are present, tolerated, and left unaddressed at VMI. The racist and misogynistic acts and outcomes uncovered during this investigation are disturbing,” said the report, written by lawyers at the law firm Barnes & Thornburg, who were paid $1 million by the state for the probe. “Although VMI has no explicitly racist or sexist policies that it enforces, the facts reflect an overall racist and sexist culture.”

The report recommended requiring VMI, the nation’s oldest state-supported military college, to create a sweeping reform plan and to submit quarterly reports to the state on its progress. It also urged Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who graduated from VMI in 1981, and the General Assembly to appoint a committee with no ties to the school to evaluate those reports and address “any lack of substantial progress.”

Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D), Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D), and other leaders in the General Assembly made it clear in a statement that they would not tolerate foot-dragging, issuing a veiled threat to the college if it fails to address its problems: “The Commonwealth will study this report carefully and then take appropriate action. VMI would be wise to do so as well. VMI is an agency of state government, and we will hold it accountable.”

VMI received more than $19 million in state funds for fiscal 2020-2021.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/vmi-report-investigation-racism/2021/06/01/380c08c4-c2cb-11eb-93f5-ee9558eecf4b_story.html

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