Asked why he had quit, Outland, a 1981 VMI graduate who was just appointed this year for a four-year term, did not explain. Ralph Northam (D), a 1981 VMI graduate, has ordered an independent investigation into the school, which received $19 million in state funds in fiscal 2020. Gottwald and Outland quit right before the board’s unanimous vote to move the Jackson statue to a new, undetermined location. School officials had long resisted calls to remove the 1912 statue, with Peay defending Jackson as a “military genius” and “staunch Christian” over the summer. To judge him through a 21st century lens is unjust,” the petition says, adding, “Removing the statue of Jackson is .

Source: Washington Post October 30, 2020 20:36 UTC