Disguised Theft

For John, BLUF:  Richmond Law Schoool has shown that between ethics and money, it picks money.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

A Law School’s ‘Denaming’ Evokes Donor Family’s Ire

From Tax Prof Blog, by Professor Paul Caron, 11 March 2023.

Here is the lede plus one:

Following up on my previous post, After Richmond Law School Removed Slave-Owner Benefactor From Its Name, Family Demands Return Of His Donations ($3.6 Billion With 132 Years Of Interest): Inside Higher Ed, A Law School’s ‘Denaming’ Evokes Donor Family’s Ire:

When the University of Richmond’s Board of Trustees voted last fall to remove the name of alumnus and donor T. C. Williams from its law school, Williams’s descendants were irate. The board was following a new set of principles adopted earlier that year to ensure the namesakes of buildings, colleges and professorships lived up to the university’s values; the trustees decided that Williams, a wealthy tobacco farmer and slave owner, did not.

A successful law suit is very unlikely.

To me this is straight forward.  The school wishes to distance itself from a benefactor, but is unwilling to give up the financial benefit from that person.  Keep the money, but take down the name.  Hide the fact that the school benefitted from money earned in part via slavery.

This is rank hypocrisy.

I would be happy if they changed the name and then added at the end "formerly T C Williams."

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff