School safety bill debate in House derails into clash over the existence of systemic racism

Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, called out Del. Elias Coop-Gonzalez for failing to defend his proposal on House Bill 4851 on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Legislative Photography)

A bill up for passage in the House of Delegates on Thursday was meant to help schools hire security personnel. Debate on the measure derailed as lawmakers spent more than an hour arguing over the existence of systemic racism.

House Bill 4851 , was intended to bolster kids’ safety in school. It would allow public and private schools to employ retired law enforcement officers as armed security.

Del. Elias Coop-Gonzalez, R-Randolph

The argument came after Del. Elias Coop-Gonzalez, R-Randolph, proposed a bill amendment to remove training for school security personnel on “systemic and individual” racism. The legislation would still require training standards on racism, cultural diversity and implicit bias.

Coop-Gonzalez declined to answer questions from Democrats about his amendment, prompting Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, to sternly call out the lawmaker for failing to defend his proposal.

“I thought we were going to have a friendly debate, but that would require people showing up to work and doing their job,” Fluharty said.

Another amendment sponsor, Del. Marty Gearhart, R-Mercer, also declined to answer questions.

The amendment passed with 20 members, including some Republicans, voting against it.

Del. Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, was a no vote.

“We don’t need to be afraid to talk about these topics and educate ourselves on these topics. Racism is real,” he said.

The bill also laid out training requirements, which lawmakers noted were commonly used by state law enforcement.

“Apparently, we know more than law enforcement here,” said Fluharty ahead of the vote. “We are amending it to lower standards because we don’t like the word ‘racism.’”

Del. Tom Fast, R-Fayette, later rose to explain the amendment, saying, “This would codify that the whole law enforcement system or education system is racist or biased.”

In response, Del. Anitra Hamilton, D-Monongalia, pointed to state data showing that Black students as well as students in foster care and poverty were disproportionately punished in public schools.

“We cannot pick and choose the words we want to use because we’re uncomfortable with them,” she said. “We have a systemic problem.”

At the end of the debate, Coop-Gonzalez told lawmakers that, as the child of a Guatemalan immigrant, he understood racism but did not believe it was a “racist system.”

Following the debate, the House unanimously signed off on the bill. It will now head to the Senate for consideration.

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