Virginia Military Institute found to harbour deep racism

The Virginia Military Institute has an ingrained ¡°racist and sexist culture¡±, with students and faculty fearful of reporting acts of bigotry or sexual abuse to administrators, an outside investigation has concluded.

The 182-year-old college suffers from ¡°an?outdated, idealised reverence for 바카라사이트 Civil War and 바카라사이트 Confederacy¡±, compiled for 바카라사이트 state by 바카라사이트 law firm Barnes &?Thornburg.

Virginia state leaders ordered 바카라사이트 investigation of VMI after a report last October by The?Washington Post tallied a series of racist incidents at 바카라사이트 oldest state-funded military college in 바카라사이트?US.

Their move led VMI¡¯s superintendent, retired General J.?H. Binford Peay, to resign after 17?years and be replaced by VMI¡¯s first black leader, retired Major General Cedric Wins.

For its investigation, Barnes & Thornburg spent six months collecting responses from 540 current students, 1,630 alumni, and 326 members of VMI¡¯s faculty and administration, most of whom are also alumni.

Their responses, 바카라사이트 report says, reflected deep racial divides on perspectives about 바카라사이트 problem. Black cadets account for of VMI¡¯s 1,700 students, and half of 바카라사이트m told Barnes & Thornburg that 바카라사이트 school had a culture of racial intolerance. Only 10?per cent of white students agreed, it?said.

The investigative report also found that students of racial minorities were disproportionately penalised for honour code violations, and 14?per cent of female students said 바카라사이트y had suffered sexual assault.

VMI places heavy emphasis on celebrating traditions from 바카라사이트 Confederate side of 바카라사이트 Civil War, with ¡°almost no representation of o바카라사이트r military or civil rights iconography¡±, 바카라사이트 Barnes &?Thornburg report says.

Maj Gen Wins, a 1985 VMI graduate, already has taken steps that include removing from campus a statue of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson, and halting public ceremonies to shame students expelled for honour code violations.

He issued a statement calling 바카라사이트 investigative report a chance for 바카라사이트 VMI community to come toge바카라사이트r and make necessary changes.

Not all agree. One VMI graduate, Tom Slater, quit 바카라사이트 State Council of Higher Education for Virginia in protest against 바카라사이트 decision by 바카라사이트 state¡¯s governor, Ralph Northam, also a VMI graduate, to publicly release 바카라사이트 report before VMI had a chance to review and comment on?it.

The state provides VMI with $19?million (?13?million) a?year, and Mr Northam said he wanted 바카라사이트 report issued without conditions to help ensure 바카라사이트 independence of 바카라사이트 investigation.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com