(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) Washington and Lee University officials decided to make significant changes to push their woke agenda, launching a cultural snowflake storm to bury and blur history.
The administrators of the university have announced that they are planning to build a permanent wall this summer to separate the Robert E. Lee’s chapel’s main auditorium from a section of the building that features a statue of Lee, reported the College Fix. The statue is located directly behind the podium where students give speeches.
Last summer, the school officials got rid of George Washington and Lee, as well as plaques that were honoring the alumni of the institution and veterans from many wars, including the Civil War.
The official reason behind the changes was to make the campus environment more inclusive, and some students criticized the decision.
President of Students for Historical Preservation, junior Kamron Spivey has been opposing chapel changes since the last school year.
When the university accepted National Historic Landmark status for Lee Chapel in 1961, “they pledged to uphold the site and share its historical significance with those who visit it,” he said.
Therefore, he pointed out that making changes to the chapel will be a “complete breach of that responsibility.”
“Changing the [chapel] now is a complete breach of that responsibility, and it’s a major disgrace to historical sites everywhere,” Spivey told The College Fix via email.
Aside from the changes that were already implemented last summer, university trustees internally changed the name to “University Chapel.”
Spivey understands that not every student wants to attend Lee Chapel, so he proposed a different solution – to stop using the chapel for mandatory events and turn it into a museum.
“I understand that many students and faculty do not want to enter Lee Chapel. That’s their choice, and I do not intend to coerce people to [enter] the building,” Spivey said.
“I propose that the university stop using Lee Chapel for mandatory events and restore it to its former status as a museum, and only a museum. Then only those individuals wanting to learn about Lee, Washington College, and the Civil War will visit it.”
The General Redoubt, an alumni group dedicated to reestablishing university traditions, launched a “Save Lee Chapel” petition, which has 3,688 signatures as of June 2.
“[The administration] has gone too far,” the group stated on its website.
