A majority of speakers at a Monday morning public hearing were opposed to SB 498. Inappropriately named the "Anti-Racism Act of 2022," the bill is actually designed to silence classroom discussions on race and gender.
The bill, which would allow students to bring formal complaints against teachers for making them feel “discomfort” about things like white privilege or systemic racism, has passed the Senate and is working its way through the House.
SB 498 is similar to the defeated HB 4011, but is worse in some respects. It contains few of the carveouts of the House bill. Although it was amended Monday following the public hearing to no longer apply to higher education, it still would impose censorship on K-12 public schools. Like its predecessor 4011, it should be tabled so that lawmakers can focus on actual issues facing education in West Virginia.
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