"George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth Universities have submitted their syllabi for courses about diversity, equity, inclusion and race to Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera for review at the request of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a move that sparked frustration among some of the schools’ students and staff who said political influence has no place in classrooms. 

The administration previously reviewed and rescinded similar materials related to racism, discrimination and equity from Virginia Department of Education teacher training and classroom resources, following Youngkin’s 2022 executive order to eliminate “inherently divisive concepts” from being taught in Virginia public schools. 

Some saw the governor’s request to review VCU and Mason’s courses as a collegiate-level extension of his efforts to eliminate equity-centered curriculum within the state’s public education institutions.

In turn, Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez cited concerns the administration heard from college leaders, parents and students that required courses on equity, racism and diversity are actually 'a thinly veiled attempt to incorporate the progressive left’s groupthink on Virginia’s students,' and said in a statement Virginia’s public institutions should be teaching students 'how to think, not what to think and not advancing ideological conformity,'" reports Virginia Mercury.

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