Poll says most Virginians support K-12 students learning about history of race

VCU graduates walked out commencement in May over curriculum decisions on teaching about the history of race. (Courtesy of Cassandra Loper/Capital News Service)

Most Virginians agree that public K-12 schools should teach the history of race, but fewer say it should be required in colleges and universities, according to a poll conducted by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The poll found that 75% of respondents supported such a curriculum for K-12, the remaining 15% disagreed. But less than half of Virginians, or 49%, said those lessons should be required in postsecondary education in the commonwealth.

The study indicated that Democrats and independents were more likely to support a college requirement, while 6 in 10 Republicans polled disagreed. Wilder School used telephone interviews from 809 Virginians, ages 18 or older, between June 24 and July 3. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.81 percentage points.

Since 2022, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration has been examining and revising educational content related to race and equity, which the governor branded “divisive” in his first executive order .

Last spring, the governor directed his administration to review VCU’s racial literacy syllabi and the diversity-themed coursework from George Mason University.

VCU students sought to make racial literacy general education a requirement for graduation, but the university’s Board of Visitors, which is appointed by the governor, killed it in May.

While VCU still offers racial literacy classes to VCU students, the graduating students walked out of the commencement address given by the governor the day after the board’s decision. George Mason delayed its courses until the 2025-26 school year.

Rao still remains health system chair

Following the release of the poll data, the Wilder School was criticized by the university for errors it identified in the release accompanying the poll, specifically that the General Assembly recommended VCU President Michael Rao step down as chair of the VCU Health System Board of Directors and that Rao resigned from the board after an unsuccessful development project costing the university millions.

Rao remains the chair, VCU stated.

“Unfortunately, this is the second time in 2024 former Gov. Wilder’s personal agenda has skewed polls regarding VCU and President Rao,” the university wrote. “His continued bias runs the risk of tarnishing the Wilder School’s otherwise strong reputation. VCU is proud of the Wilder School dean, leadership and its dedicated and award-winning faculty, staff and students. They deserve better from their namesake.”

Rao told lawmakers in June that plans to develop a medical tower on the site of Richmond’s former Public Safety Building at Clay and 10th streets ended due to concerns over the unsuitable site conditions and increased construction costs.

VCU officials are still reviewing an agreement to pay the city of Richmond approximately $2.5 million annually in lieu of taxes for a development that was never built. The school paid the city, investors and developers nearly $80 million to exit the project.

The Wilder School’s study indicated that 84% of Virginians think Rao should provide a public accounting of where VCU spent the money, and 53% said Rao shouldn’t receive his comprehensive salary.

In 2022, Virginia Business reported that Rao’s salary was increased by 8% to $708,000.