On Friday, May 13, I brought to the attention of the VCU Board of Visitors and VCU President Rao the insensitivity of his administration in dealing with racism and its effects. I was assailed and threatened by an employee of our school in January of this year.
A Richmond Court granted a temporary restraining order forbidding the employee from any contact with Dean Gooden. She, exercising her authority, fired the employee, but the termination is being obstructed by Rao.
I was targeted because I had agreed to serve with three other Governors on the Youngkin transition advisory team, being the only Democrat.
Though I did not endorse anyone in last November’s election, he concluded that the Youngkin administration were “Nazis”. The employee said in his communication that if I did anything about this I “would find myself in a bad place”.
This employee’s primary role at the Wilder School was to “train” the state agencies providing leadership and expertise in the discharge of their responsibilities.
President Rao has not responded to the Dean or myself why this firing is delayed. I have spoken to the media about this and below are two news stories related to the matter:
Jeff Katz WRVA News Radio, “Is VCU tolerating intolerance?”
Stay tuned.
