Former students and advocates have said that an amendment by Gov. Abigail Spanberger would water down a bill that aims to establish a task force to root out racism and sexism at the Virginia Military Institute.
Those students and advocates have called on the General Assembly to reject the governor’s amendment and enact the bill as it was enrolled by the legislative body in March. The bill, as it passed the legislature, would establish oversight through an independent task force to ensure accountability. Spanberger’s amendment would put that oversight into the hands of the VMI Board of Visitors.
“That is not independent oversight. It places the institution in the position of evaluating itself, which undermines the credibility of the entire process,” said Jeremiah Woods, a former VMI student who attended the institute between 2023 and 2026, in a statement on Friday. “This is especially concerning given the findings of the 2021 state investigation, which identified persistent racial disparities and cultural issues at VMI.”
Woods decided to speak out in support of the legislation, as it passed the General Assembly after he had completed a research project on African Americans at the institute between 1850 and 1865, including both enslaved and free people who supported the school.
“Through that work, I’ve come to understand how deeply that history is connected to the present,” Woods said. “In my view, VMI has not fully reckoned with the past. The institution still reflects elements of Confederate legacy and tradition to shape its culture today.”
“This isn’t about attacking VMI,” he added. “It’s about making sure the institution meets the standard of transparency and accountability expected of the public institution.”
Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax County, who patroned the bill, said he supports the governor’s amendment.
“We know the most heinous members of the board are no longer there and I feel very comfortable that the board is committed to ensuring removal of remnants of the Lost Cause and to address the concerns that were presented in the 2021 study of VMI,” he said during an interview with Cardinal News on Friday.
Lt. Col. Sherry Wallace, spokesperson for VMI, said the institute looks forward to partnering with the legislature and the governor on implementation of the final bill, regardless of what it looks like.
Spanberger’s office did not respond to a request for comment regarding the governor’s amendment.
The legislative battle brewing at VMI
Helmer’s bill was among the latest developments in a fight that began between Virginia Senate Democrats and former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in early 2025. It is also a continuation of the tension that has been brewing at the institute after former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam ordered an investigation of the school in 2020.
That investigation, and the replacement of VMI’s superintendent, led to a push by some alumni for Youngkin to rein in what they saw as the school’s “woke” culture adjustments.
The Lexington school has been under fire from some General Assembly Democrats since its board voted in February 2025 not to renew the contract of Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins, VMI’s first Black superintendent. The board did not explain why Wins was removed, indicating only that performance and “institutional needs” were considered.
Helmer confirmed that his bill is a direct result of Wins’ ouster.
John Adams, chair of the board of visitors when Wins was forced out, resigned in April 2025. Spanberger appointed seven new members to the 16-member board between January and February, including Northam.
Regardless, those who are opposed to the governor’s amendment believe that oversight must come from outside of the institution.
“Accountability must be independent to be effective, this change falls short of that standard and weakens the bill’s purpose,” said Monique Gatling, executive director of Virginia Pathways to Justice, in a statement.
Virginia Pathways to Justice is a nonprofit organization that focuses on equity, justice and civic engagement for communities of color. It is not directly affiliated with VMI, but its interest in the institution and in Helmer’s bill comes from the group’s commitment to institutional accountability and ensuring that public institutions reflect inclusive values and equitable practices for all Virginians, Gatling said.
The bill as enrolled and its amendment
As it passed the General Assembly, Helmer’s bill, HB 1377, would establish a task force of lawmakers, a representative from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and four civilians who collectively have experience in workforce development, oversight of student welfare at public institutions of higher education and educational instruction at public institutions of higher education. That task force would be charged with examining any actions taken by the leadership of VMI following the release of the 2021 investigative report to SCHEV. That report outlined a history of tolerated racism and sexism that went unaddressed and noted that the school must be held accountable for making changes within its culture.
Under the enrolled bill, the task force would be charged with determining if VMI, among other efforts, has:
- Begun to implement changes to its policies, values, and preventative, investigative and disciplinary procedures to reduce acts within its student body that could be perceived or classified as racist, sexist, or misogynistic or as an act of sexual harassment or sexual assault;
- Actively made efforts to distance itself from the Lost Cause narrative or other celebrations or promotions of the Confederacy in the American Civil War;
- Successfully made progress on these efforts and has a plan to address any remaining gaps; and
- Possesses the capacity as an institution to end celebration of the Confederacy.
Spanberger’s amendment would require that the task force be replaced by the VMI Board of Visitors.
Helmer said that the new board is made up of new people who he trusts are “deeply committed to removing the last vestiges of the Confederacy from VMI and ensuring that it seriously tackles sexual assault and that it provides an inclusive environment for cadets.” He added that the board will be required by law to report to the General Assembly their progress in addressing concerns regarding racism and sexism on campus.
What’s the process for accepting or rejecting a governor’s amendment?
Helmer said he plans to ask the House of Delegates to support Spanberger’s amendment, but some former students and advocates are lobbying lawmakers to reject the amendment and enact the bill as it passed the legislature.
If the governor’s amendment is agreed to by a simple majority in the House, then it will be sent to the state Senate for consideration.
But, if the governor’s amendment is not agreed to in the House, a few things can happen:
- If no further motion is made, then the bill is returned to Spanberger as it was enrolled by the General Assembly. The governor will have another 30 days to either sign it or veto it.
- If the governor’s amendment fails, a further motion can be made by a lawmaker that the bill become law in the form that passed the General Assembly. In order to enact the bill in its enrolled form, without the governor’s amendment, two-thirds of the lawmakers present would need to vote in favor of it. Then the bill would be sent to the Senate for consideration.
- If the governor’s amendment is rejected and a subsequent motion that the bill becomes law as it passed the General Assembly fails — meaning it does not receive the two-thirds vote — then the bill is returned to the governor in its original form. Again, the governor has 30 days to either sign or veto it.
The bill, as it passed the General Assembly, received 66 votes in the House of Delegates — just shy of the 67 needed for a two-thirds majority if all 100 delegates are present — and 21 votes in the Senate — six votes shy of the 27 needed for a two-thirds majority if all 40 senators are present.
“From my perspective, this is not just about policy. It is about whether accountability at VMI will be real and independent, or delayed and handled internally once again,” Woods said. “The General Assembly should preserve the intent of the original bill and ensure that oversight remains independent and transparent.”
