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West Virginia Senate Bill 498 is a danger to all West Virginians.
Behind the veneer of the name, "Anti-Racism Act of 2022" is a bill designed to put educators at risk for simply doing their job: educating. We should not be afraid to confront the demons of our past to have a better society for everyone in the future.
This bill would restrict educators from speaking freely about our history and instead would instill fear that anything they said about our history could be held against them.
What are we thinking? Our teachers are already spread way too thin. A pandemic, an opioid and mental health crises have already asked them to go above and beyond for our children. Now, we are only adding to the already stress-filled job of educating and caring for our youth by asking them to now be fearful when entering the classroom.
An objective, factual history needs to be taught in order for us to grow as a society. Learning the true history of our nation prevents the same tragedies that have happened, some of which remain a struggle today, to continue into the collective future of tomorrow. We cannot shy away from our dark truths because they illuminate the injustices that have existed and continue to persist in our society today.
How do we educate on the struggles of people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community and Indigenous peoples when such language is ruled "unlawful"? This bill would attempt to block discussion of treatment of these groups -- all of which have lived and continue to live in the Mountain State. What position does that put our educators in?
It is shocking to me that we are at a point now where we want to pit parents and students against teachers when we should be supporting our educators and ensuring that they stay in our great state. The bottom line is that discrimination has existed -- and persists -- but it is up to us to change that. As a West Virginia citizen with multiple family members who are West Virginia educators, I know legislation that blocks an educator's responsibility to educate is the last thing that West Virginia needs.
I am urging Sen. Rucker and Sen. Roberts NOT to bring this bill to the floor. The future of West Virginia is at stake.
Joshua Stuart
Morgantown