In a video that’s now gone viral on both Twitter and Facebook, Baton Rouge, Louisiana resident Gary Chambers, a Black man and publisher of The Rouge Collection, calls out East Baton Rouge School Board member Connie Bernard, who is white, for allegedly online shopping during a meeting, as reported by The Independent. What was the meeting about? Moving to change the name of a local school, Lee Magnet High School, which is currently named after confederate general Robert E. Lee. “This is a picture of you shopping while we're talking about racism and history in this country,” Chambers said at a board meeting, holding up his cell phone. “Only white members of the board got up while we're talking. You don't give a damn."
“You sit your arrogant self in here and sit on there shopping while the pain and the hurt of this community are on display,” Chambers said in a video from the June 18 meeting. "You should walk out of here and resign and never come back because you are the example of racism in this community. You are horrible." Bernard has since issued a statement of apology, but the pain and bigger picture structural issues remain.
How did all of this begin? To start with, after a meeting about changing the school’s name to remove “Lee” entirely, on June 10, Bernard suggested that people should do more research into Lee, saying people should “learn a little more about” him in an interview with local outlet brproud. To the same outlet, she added: “General Lee inherited a large plantation and he was tasked with the job of doing something with those people who lived in bondage to that plantation, the slaves, and he freed them.” (This is not true.)
Chambers also points this out in the video, saying: “Robert E. Lee was a brutal slavemaster. Not only would he whoop the slaves, he said, ‘Lay it on ‘em hard.’ After he said that, he said, ‘Put brine on them.’"
In a photo that has since gone viral, Bernard’s internet browser appears to have an online clothing store’s website open during the meeting.
Here is the video on Twitter.
As you can see in the video, Bernard leaves the room for several minutes. She has since said she did so because she had to use the restroom.
Here is the photo of a clothing website on her browser that’s been going viral as well.
In an interview with The Advocate, Bernard said, “I wasn’t shopping. I was actually taking notes, paying attention, reading online comments.” She told the outlet it was a pop-up ad she didn’t close.
Since then, board vice president Tremelle Howard told Bernard it’s “unfortunate” the comments she made were “extremely tone-deaf” to the overall community, as well as students. “I would be remiss if I didn’t stand up to that.” Howard added: “If we have to get uncomfortable and have these conversations from colleague-to-colleague, it’s time that we do it.”
As reported by local outlet WBRZ, in a written statement on Friday, Bernard apologized, saying her comments about the school’s name were “insensitive” and “have led people to believe I am an enemy of people of color, and I am deeply sorry.” She went on to “condemn racial injustice” and “be part of the solution.”
Board member Evelyn Ware-Jackson said it was “disturbing” to have a fellow member of the board be so “inaccurate” and say “some inaccurate things about history” that would only fuel the fire, according to The Advocate.
The school unanimously voted to consider renaming the school on Thursday. Bernard is facing calls to resign.
You can also check out a version of the video on YouTube.