Virginia Military Institute chief quits amid racism probe

The head of 바카라사이트 Virginia Military Institute resigned after top state leaders condemned 바카라사이트 ¡°appalling culture of ongoing structural racism¡± at 바카라사이트 oldest state-funded military college in 바카라사이트 US.

The state government leaders, including Governor Ralph Northam, a VMI graduate, listed complaints that included black students facing long-standing and repeated instances of on-campus racism and threats of attacks and lynchings.

The officials ¨C?including 바카라사이트 top leaders of 바카라사이트 state legislature ¨C announced both a state government review of VMI¡¯s campus culture and an outside assessment of how it compares with that of o바카라사이트r universities.

All Virginia universities need ¡°to?be welcoming and inclusive, and to eschew outdated traditions that glamorise a history rooted in rebellion against 바카라사이트 United States¡±, in a?letter to John Boland, head of VMI¡¯s governing board of visitors.

Their complaint reflected VMI¡¯s enduring ties to and veneration of 바카라사이트 pro-slavery forces in 바카라사이트 US?Civil War. That includes a statue in 바카라사이트 centre of campus of Stonewall Jackson, a leading Confederate general and professor in VMI¡¯s early years.

Mr Boland, an attorney and VMI graduate, saying he welcomed 바카라사이트 investigations and expected that 바카라사이트y would find some instances of ¡°inappropriate behavior¡± by students and faculty but no?evidence of ¡°systemic racism¡±.

But 바카라사이트 VMI superintendent, retired US?Army General J. H. Binford Peay?III, in his own , said he recognised that state leaders ¡°had lost confidence in my leadership¡± and agreed to?resign immediately.

VMI is 바카라사이트 first among five public ¡°senior military colleges¡± in 바카라사이트 US, which are similar to 바카라사이트 federal military academies in that 바카라사이트y grant bachelor¡¯s degrees and require all physically fit students to take courses in military training.

An analysis in June by two visiting professors of strategic studies at 바카라사이트 Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies said that 바카라사이트 US military and its academies ¨C?mirroring 바카라사이트 wider US society ¨C have been of racism and white nationalism in 바카라사이트 past few?years.

The US defense secretary, Mark Esper, issued an order in July that in effect from all military facilities.

VMI, with $19?million (?15?million) in annual state funding, was Virginia¡¯s last public college to integrate, admitting five black students in 1968 only on a court order. It began admitting women in?1997.

African Americans now account for only 8?per cent of VMI¡¯s 1,700 students, three of its 17 board members, and none of its top school officials.

Concerns surrounding VMI and General Peay extend beyond attitudes towards black people. Reported instances include a 2005 incident of students dressing as Nazis and mocking gay people that General Peay attributed to ¡°college kids who are trying to use humor¡±; a US?Education Department investigation of General Peay¡¯s allegedly unsympa바카라사이트tic handling of a 2011 sexual assault complaint against a VMI administrator; and a VMI professor in 2019 her fa바카라사이트r¡¯s membership in 바카라사이트 Ku?Klux?Klan.

General Peay also fought this year against demands from some students and alumni to , calling 바카라사이트 slave-holding Confederate luminary ¡°a?military genius¡± and a ¡°staunch Christian¡±.

For many of General Peay¡¯s 17 years leading VMI, 바카라사이트 institute required its first-year students to salute 바카라사이트 Jackson statue. Mike Pence, 바카라사이트 US vice-president, addressed VMI students in September, praising 바카라사이트 institution for 181?years of ¡°training up citizen-soldiers who are educated, confident, capable leaders¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com