By Victoria Manning | Restoration News
The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) has been under fire from Virginia Democrats who introduced legislation that could significantly change the school’s oversight structure. These bills follow allegations of racism by a former black cadet and left-wing activist, Jeremiah Woods, who dropped out of VMI under questionable circumstances.
Yet Democrats are silent about institutional policies at VMI that promote systemic racism against white male students and employees.
Democrats despise VMI’s over 150-year-old historic ties to the Civil War and Gen. Stonewall Jackson. Because of that history, Democrats now want to dismantle the school over unverified claims of racism, and Woods has provided them with unsubstantiated allegations to fulfill their agenda.
One anti-VMI bill sponsor, Del. Dan Helmer (D-Fairfax), claims VMI is an institution “incapable of separating itself from a Lost Cause ideology that promotes White supremacy.” Virginia Democrats continue the false narrative of racism at VMI because it’s a talking point that fires up their far-Left voter base.
A 2021 investigation alleged a subjective opinion of “an overall racist and sexist culture” at VMI despite a lack of evidence and flawed methodology. Rather than using randomized samplings, they targeted specific respondents and included third-party hearsay of unsubstantiated allegations. The report also concluded that VMI did not have any racist or sexist policies that it enforces.
The NAACP Democrat Activist Behind the Attacks
The Washington Post revealed on March 8, 2026 that former VMI cadet Jeremiah Woods is behind the Democrat’s attacks on VMI. The Post article is filled with unsubstantiated racism claims by Woods who has been a leftist activist since high school according to Linkedin.
Woods has been manufacturing racism narratives for years, beginning in high school. He is the leader of a so-called “anti-racist” group started in 2022. His social media page is called “uncovering racism” and solicits people to send anonymous, unsubstantiated tips about racist statements.
He was an officer in a race-based club called the Black Student Union at his Florida high school in 2021—there were no white student leaders in the organization that year. Photos from the club’s social media page indicate only black students were a part of the club in 2021.
Woods (left) with Democrat Del. Joshua Cole (right)
Woods has volunteered for the NAACP for over 6 years and in January 2026 he was appointed as the political action chair for the NAACP Virginia State Conference Youth & College Division. He was once an intern for a Florida Democrat and worked for Virginia Democrat Joshua Cole in the Spring of 2025.
Woods left VMI in January and enrolled at Hampton University, where he continues his activism. The Post reported that VMI spokesperson Sherry Wallace said Woods “signed a release allowing the school to discuss his records.”
Yet when Restoration News asked Wallace whether Woods had been disciplined or forced to leave, Wallace declined to answer saying VMI was “unable to disclose information” about his record. Upon follow-up, we learned that Woods only signed a release to have very specific limited information provided to a specific individual at the Post.
Bias Against White, Male Students and Employees
Primary source documents from VMI expose what’s really happening at the school.
VMI’s Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion was renamed the Department of Opportunity and Inclusion (DOI) in 2023 but its mission didn’t change.
Rather than focusing on equal opportunities for all students, they focused on attacking Christianity decrying the fact that some calendars still used the phrases “Christmas Party” and “Easter Furlough.” Yet they promoted a Muslim Ramadan Suhoor dinner event as an “educational event about religious diversity.”
The DOI office also pushed ways to “eliminate possible barriers to inclusivity” such as creating student permits for local LGBTQ Pride events.
VMI’s current strategic plan outlines the importance of making VMI more “diverse and inclusive.” An employment directive written July 27, 2023 requires hiring committees to “ensure that the group selected for interview includes women and minorities.”
VMI has a race-based student club called Promaji that Woods was actively involved with. The website describes the club as a “black student organization” formed to “create a community for minorities on post.” Their mission is to “support and advocate for students of color.” The exclusion of white students in this mission statement is in direct conflict with the Civil Rights Act which prohibits discrimination based on race.
Another example of institutional racism against whites is the school’s targeted goals to admit non-white students. In 2021, the superintendent issued a DEI report that detailed actions being undertaken to “enroll underrepresented groups.”
Slides presented to the board of visitors in 2022 show the admissions department set goals to increase the number of minority students admitted over the next five years. In the 2021–22 school year, VMI added “race and ethnicity” as a question on applications.
The presentation highlighted that the class of 2026 accepted 89 students of color/dual race (24% of all students), an indication of race-based student tracking.
A 2022 document reaffirming VMI’s “commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion” reported an increase in “enrollment of cadets of color from 12.7% to 23.4%” from 1992 to 2020.
The document also proves that VMI actively encouraged “gender and racial diversity in cadet leadership roles.”
The campaign against VMI appears to be driven by political activism and ideological goals. If policymakers are truly concerned about fairness and equality, they should focus on protecting those principles for every cadet.
Rather than burning the school down over unsubstantiated allegations by a former cadet with questionable credibility, an investigation into the discrimination of white male students and employees at the school should be conducted.
Democrats should listen to the black regimental commander, Devin Auzenne, who told Fox News, “I can say VMI is the most inclusive environment that I have ever been a part of.”
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Victoria Manning is a Senior Investigative Researcher for Restoration News specializing in education freedom, immigration, and military issues. She is the author of Behind the Wall of Government Schools. Victoria served 8 years as an elected school board member and has a master’s degree in law. She also brings the perspective of a military spouse to her reporting. Email Victoria HERE
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