Seriously: ‘Ecofeminist’ class at UVA has students seeking advice from goats and lichen on issues of oppression

Alumni Groups Challenge UVA Course Curriculum

Alumni associations are raising concerns about the academic integrity of state-funded classes at the University of Virginia. One such course, taught by a non-heterosexual poet, encourages students to engage in discussions about animals they perceive as oppressed.

The Jefferson Council, a noted alumni group, expressed its commitment to reinstating the University of Virginia’s original ideals of freedom and excellence. They highlighted a course titled “Ecofeminist Poetry and Poetics” that challenges students to “listen” to the voices of plants and animals to better understand concepts such as “settler colonialism” and slavery’s connection to species interconnectedness.

As stated in the course description, “Birds, goats, willow oaks, and lichens accompany us throughout the semester.” The alumni group questioned if this is truly what higher education should be promoting.

Furthermore, the UVA English Department’s graduate course offerings include quotes from various identitarian feminists and LGBTQ+ activists. Alexis Pauline Gumbs, a central figure in the course, emphasizes the intention behind the curriculum to “rethink and refeel” one’s relationship with the non-human world.

The syllabus notes that throughout the course, students will be encouraged to engage with life across species. Reports have emerged regarding Associate Professor Brian Teare, who identifies as queer and specializes in both environmental humanities and queer theory, indicating he has been teaching variations of this ecofeminist course for multiple years.

John Gardner, who heads the Jefferson Board of Trustees, remarked on the absurdity of including such a politically charged course in a reputable educational institution, criticizing what he sees as increasing politicization in university curricula over the past decade.

Gardner suggested that there are more concerning courses at UVA, including “Gender, Body Image, and Social Activism” and “Queer Judaism,” which probe unconventional approaches to traditional subjects. He argued that many courses appear to prioritize agendas over truth-seeking.

As a point of reference, Gardner noted that Thomas Jefferson founded the university to cultivate an educated and informed citizenry critical for the republic’s success. He expressed concern that current courses are more focused on advancing social and political narratives than on academic truth, suggesting that a course based on Orwell’s “1984” would be better aligned with the university’s foundational principles.