Thomas Jefferson might be rolling over in his grave. Or he might just be laughing like crazy about this, I don't know:
In a victory for those who accused a University of Virginia student organization of promoting a "woke version of UVa history," the school has suspended the University Guide Service from giving tours on Grounds.
The decision comes after years of pressure from the Jefferson Council, a conservative alumni group, and less than two months after Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's appointments assumed a majority on the school's governing Board of Visitors.
(As an aside, let that be a lesson to you, folks: In order to win, conservatives need to get boots on the ground and conservative men and women into positions of authority. That's how you change things!)
For background, UVA's University Guide Service offers guided tours of the school on a nearly daily basis. A prized part of the school's branding, the tours are largely run by students, who must undergo lengthy training in order to qualify as a "Guide."
Problem is, students have been using the guide service to trash the historical school and its famous founder, President Thomas Jefferson:
[Vice Provost for Enrollment Stephen] Farmer applauded the University Guide Service's efforts, but said the group has "struggled" over the years and that the quality of the tours had become inconsistent.
Feedback from visitors, Farmer wrote, included complaints "about what they have described as excessive and off-putting negativity about the University."
Basically if you went on a tour with one of UVA's woke guides, this was about what you could expect to hear regarding Mr. Jefferson's University:
The school is denying that pressure from the conservative Jefferson Council had anything to do with the decision, though council President Tom Neale isn't so sure:
'Although it would be presumptuous for me to say that TJC is primarily responsible for this occurrence, I think we are justifiably proud that our continually bringing up the Lawn Guides denigration of Thomas Jefferson and UVA had a large impact on this decision,' Neale wrote in an email to The Daily Progress. 'It is long overdue.'
The school is reportedly working "to implement a semester training plan" to address the concerns. It has vowed to still "share an honest and complete account of UVA and its history."
That's fine, of course! By all means, give a full account of the history of UVA, including its use of slave labor to help build the school. That's only responsible history.
But if you use your university platform to basically trash the university itself, don't be surprised if you get shut down over it!
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