Photos by Stephanie Ujhelyi From left, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey listens as Pat McGeehan, House of Delegates majority leader and lead sponsor of a bill establishing the Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship at West Virginia University, speaks during a ceremonial bill signing Thursday in Chester.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey signs House Bill 3297 into law.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey speaks about the Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship at West Virginia University. 

CHESTER — “Education not indoctrination” read the sign hanging on the podium for an event Thursday featuring West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey at the city’s Veterans of Foreign Wars’ post.

Morrisey traveled to ceremonially sign House Bill 3297 into law, which establishes the Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship at West Virginia University. 

House of Delegates Majority Leader Pat McGeehan, R-Chester, had introduced the legislation in March. The center will “place an increased focus on American constitutional studies, mold students into responsible leaders and informed citizens,” providing what McGeehan sees as fact-based instruction on America’s founding and the achievements of Western civilization. 

“Here in West Virginia, we are going to educate, not indoctrinate,” said Morrisey. “Students should be taught how to think and not what to think.”

The Washington Center is being funded through $1.5 million in state appropriations.

Also appearing with Morrisey and McGeehan were Delegate Jimmy Willis, R-Brooke, and Ohio County Republican Sen. Laura Wakim-Chapman.

Wakim-Chapman also stressed her support for the civics program. A constitutional attorney by trade, she added, “The further that we get from the Constitution, the more of a mess we get into.”

The center’s director will be appointed by Morrisey, in consultation with WVU and with the advice and consent of the state Senate. 

The director will report to the president of WVU, the university’s provost and the vice president for academic affairs. According to the bill text, “The director shall be an expert on the western tradition, the American founding, and American constitutional thought, and shall have publicly demonstrated, through speeches, publications, or presentations, a commitment to the purposes, goals, and policies of the center.”

The director also will have full authority to appoint a seven-member academic council and, working with the university president and provost, will oversee hiring, firing, tenure decisions, the center’s curriculum, financial matters and more.

Reached for comment Thursday, West Virginia University officials issued the following statement: “As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary next year, West Virginia University looks forward to building on its programs and long history of civics instruction. The Washington Center will give us the opportunity to enhance our work to develop responsible and informed citizens and highlight the importance of our institutions and democratic framework.

“We appreciate the governor and Legislature for including $1.5 million in the fiscal year 2026 budget to support the creation and operations of the Washington Center.”