Mountain State Times

Republican legislators in West Virginia have reintroduced a bill aimed at banning sex and race discrimination in the workplace or school. 

The bill is similar to an executive order signed by former president Donald Trump which was revoked. Dubbed House Bill 2595, it seeks to ban “race or sex stereotyping or scapegoating” in the workplace. Fault finding, blame or bias due to different race or sex will be abolished. Also included are “any claim that, consciously or unconsciously, and by virtue of his or her race or sex, members of any race are inherently racist or are inherently inclined to oppress others, or that members of a sex are inherently sexist or inclined to oppress others.” The Epoch Times reported. Contractors are also banned from pushing such views among employees.

The state would also block funding to schools supporting racist or sexist acts because no individual should "feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress" based on race or sex.

The bill which is copied from Trump's September 2020 executive order, contains the same language and wording. Trump's executive order declared that “un-American” and “divisive concepts” should no longer be promoted in any diversity and encouraged inclusion training for the U.S. Armed Forces, government contractors, federal agencies, or recipients of federal grants.

Biden revoked the order, issuing his own executive order which called for “a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all." according to The Epoch Times. 

The West Virginia bill came after heated debate over critical race theory and the role it plays in America’s social, cultural, and economic institutions. According to critical race theory, the foundations of the American social and political life—such as rationalism, constitutional law, and legal reasoning—are considered to be tools of racial oppression.