Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) is attempting to force faculty to take an ideological oath to “diversity.” Promotion and tenure will depend on a willingness to embrace the vague but militant ideology dear to the left side of the political spectrum. Peter Wood broke this astonishing story on the National Association of Scholars site, and today the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education called on Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger to abandon the plan as a clear violation of academic freedom and the constitutional right to freedom of conscience. Peter Wood’s article says the diversity message from Virginia Tech is “Get in your group and stay there.” He wrote: “We—the race experts, the disability advocates, the heads of women’s centers, and LGBTQ ‘safe space’ allies, the folks who are making careers out of convincing you that you are a victim and need our advocacy—we will look out for you. And part of looking out for you is that we will browbeat the faculty into going along with our spiel. If they don’t go along, it will cost them their jobs or their promotions.” Now let’s hear from the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and faculty around the country.
