Gary Chambers Jr., an East Baton Rouge community advocate, was in the midst of making a passionate speech urging the parish's school board to rename a public school named after a Confederate general when he noticed something strange: board member and District 8 representative Connie Bernard appeared to be shopping online for clothes during his remarks.
Chambers’ speech first went viral on June 18 for its content, with thousands of people sharing the three-minute clip as a testament to his passionate advocacy:
But the longer clip tells the real story: Chambers noticed Bernard shopping online as he spoke, and called her out on the spot:
“You should walk out of here and resign and never come back,” said Chambers, publisher of The Rouge Collection, “because you are the example of racism in this community.
Bernard has angered Chambers and others of the Louisiana community after she told the public that they should do further research into the legacy of Robert E. Lee before supporting the removal of high school name.
“My comments last week about the naming of Lee High School were insensitive, have caused pain for others, and have led people to believe I am an enemy of people of color, and I am deeply sorry,” Bernard said in a written statement issued Friday (June 19).
The school board for the East Baton Rouge Parish unanimously agreed following the meeting on Thursday that they would agree to hear any new recommendations for a new name for Lee High School.
