BATON ROUGE - Embattled East Baton Rouge School Board member Connie Bernard was in court Monday over charges stemming from an aggressive confrontation with teenagers throwing a house. Vigil held for two Livingston Parish brothers who drowned Saturday, New scooters raising concerns around LSU's campus, 9-year-old and 6-year-old brothers drown in Livingston Parish neighborhood pond. Here's how the Louisiana Constitution will. 2023 Cable News Network. "I regret that I have become a distraction to the important work we have to do to educate our children. A viral video online shows a Louisiana school board member being chastised by a community member who called the elected official arrogant and racist. 1 LSU baseball completes the sweep over Alabama, winning game three 13-11. Shes defending Robert E. Lee as if he was a good man. At a press briefing Monday afternoon, two board members joined Howard and Lanus in asking for her immediate resignation. A new name is expected to be selected by the board on July 16. On Aug. 10, 2018, Bernard was videoed in profanity-filled confrontation she had with several young people having a party down the street from her home. But thats how the privileged behave. First elected in 2010, she faced a potential recall . NEXT: WATCH: Natasha Sits Down With Senate Hopeful Jaime Harrison Lindsey Graham's Unlikely Opponent - For First Interview In The #YBFPOLITICS Vertical! />, If reading a racist were TWO people, they would be Baton Rouge activist Gary Chambers Jr. and author/activist Kimberly Jones. 16 Alabama with Four-Run, Five More Tigers Taken on Final Day of NFL Draft, #1 LSU Baseball captures game one vs Alabama, Public school students unable to receive $1,000 voucher for learning how to read. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. She was a school board member 4 years ago when they voted to keep Lee associated with the school. She said she knocked on the door and knows the owners of the home, whom she called close personal friends.. He's BEEN on her a** for comments she made in support of keeping the name of the high school. I promise to be part of the solution and to listen to the concerns of all members of our community. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. There isnt a single public school attended by children in Baton Rouge named after someone Black. A video of local activist Gary Chambers confronting Bernard during the meeting went viral over the weekend. Chambers said Bernard wasnt open to changing her stance and didnt care to hear the opinions of residents, a claim he supported by showing attendees a photo he had captured that showed Bernard shopping online during constituents presentations. Watch Gary savagely rip East Baton Rouge Parish School Board member Connie Bernard and Kimberly break down her epic Race In America video that went viral inside. Lee, in the meantime, stood by, and frequently enjoined (a county constable) to lay it on well, an injunction which he did not fail to heed; not satisfied with simply lacerating our naked flesh, Gen. Lee then ordered the overseer to thoroughly wash our backs with brine, which was done, Norris said in the account. Then she chocked a teenager in his home in 2018, she shouldve resigned then. Bernard was first elected to the board in 2010 and is in her third term representing south Baton Rouges District 8. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. // ]]> The two things that matter the most are party I.D. Another board member, Tramelle Howard, called for Bernard's resignation following Thursday's hearing. I personally watched her for about 8 minutes, he wrote in a post. (WAFB) - East Baton Rouge Parish School Board member Connie Bernard was indeed online shopping for nearly an hour during a recent school board meeting that discussed the . "I had intended to get up here and talk about how racist Robert E. Lee was, but I'm going to talk about you, Connie, sitting over there shopping while we're talking about Robert E. Lee," said activist Gary Chambers Jr., addressing Connie Bernard at a hearing last Thursday. An incumbent like Connie Bernard, who I think was a particularly famous incumbent its an uphill battle to try to take out an incumbent, even if that incumbent has dropped out, Darr explained. Republican Connie Bernard brought in more than 5,800 votes. Bernard also apologized for that incident. In 1859, he ordered the whipping of three enslaved people who tried to escape, according to an 1866 account by Wesley Norris. The Tigers beat Alabama in game three, winning 13-11. Earlier, she apologized for the comments she made in support of not changing the school's name. Chambers, though, then posted video with a 20-second clip of her scrolling on the shopping website. ! James wrote on Twitter. Make her famous, so the world know some Karens are like Connie. Two years ago Dawn voted against a Black man for Vice President of the school board because she wanted to be VP. The bottom line is that I hope to help school children succeed, and I would be honored to carry out the duties of being a school board member.. Bernard, for her part, apologized in a statement released Friday for comments she made a week earlier that anyone critical of the schools name should learn a little more about its namesake. The school board meeting ended with Connie the Coward School Board member storming out after that verbal lashing. Baton Rouge Weather Forecasts. Not their personal conscious. "I condemn racial injustice in any form. "Robert E. Lee Was a Brutal Slave Master": Activist's Call to Rename Activist Gary Chambers forcefully tore into board member Connie Bernard at Thursdays East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meeting during a discussion on whether to rename the school. [CDATA[ Continued in comments. I stand on that. We won the vote to change the name of Lee High, but the work continues until Connie is gone. 13 LSU Overwhelms No. Connie needs to resign. ", A video of part of Chambers' speech has gone viral, with celebrities including Ava DuVernay and LeBron James sharing it on Twitter. Chambers, who appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Monday to discuss the video, attended an East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meeting on Thursday during a debate about whether Lee High. You are horrible.. Then she chocked a teenager in his home in 2018, she shouldve resigned then. History will judge us for what we do in this moment. Video of Chambers comments was shared widely on social media in the past few days, including by FS1 host Shannon Sharpe and NBA star LeBron James. 2. Both are misdemeanors. You are horrible.. [CDATA[ // <! In Baton Rogue, where more than 50% of residents are black, many people have criticized the name, saying it memorializes a man who owned hundreds of slaves. According to Crawfish Tracker: Signs of life (and price drops). Bernard has since apologized for her remarks, according to CNN affiliate WBRZ. Gary has been calling for her resignation since 2016 after Connie was captured on video grabbing a young person's neck after walking inside their home and demanding he and his friends stop partying. Not a single person spoke for Brown. And this isn't the first time Gary has called Connie out. Watch him read Connie The Coward School Board member like a Bible after he caught her online shopping during the meeting below: I told Connie Bernard to her face she needed to resign from the East Baton Rouge School board. I told Connie Bernard to her face she needed to resign from the East Baton Rouge School board. Visit http://rolandsmartin.com/pocketsquares to order your shibori pocket squares today. Get your #RolandMartinUnfiltered The Year of Return t-shirts TODAY https://t.co/mIzmpOP5M0 Shop with Roland Martin and #RMU. Email the board: dtatman@ebrschools.org, cbernard@ebrschools.org, mgaudet@ebrschools.org, jdyason@ebrschools.org, ewarejackson@ebrschools.org, dcollins1@ebrschools.org, thoward4@ebrschools.org, dlanus@ebrschools.org, mbellue@ebrschools.org. Mr. Connie Bernard ( Republican Party) was a member of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board in Louisiana, representing District 8. Pinchback, posted video with a 20-second clip of her scrolling. Man shot to death outside apartment complex Man shot to death outside apartment complex at Groom Road and Sherron Avenue; police asking public for help. [CDATA[ // <! By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Its a really interesting case and I dont know how its going to end up, so well keep following it, I guess, added Darr. [CDATA[ // <! In response, over the weekend, Chambers shared video footage on Instagram that appears to show Bernard scrolling an online shopping site for several seconds. "The actions taken by Miss Bernard over the last few days are in no way a representation of this school board, the EBR school system and the collective Baton Rouge community," Howard said. BRPROUD | Withdrawn candidate rejoins school board race after winning Elected official caught and called out for online shopping during #KeepPushing, A post shared by Gary Chambers (@garychambersjr) on Jun 22, 2020 at 1:59pm PDT. [CDATA[ Follow Charles Lussier on Twitter, @Charles_Lussier. This epic take-down of words went down Thursday during a Baton Rouge School Board meeting, where District 8 member Connie Bernard was publicly called out by Gary Chambers Jr., who stepped to the . Connie Bernard faces renewed calls for resignation from - WAFB The top two candidates, Republican Connie Bernard and Democrat Katie Kennison are headed for the run-off in December. Cookie Notice A post shared by Gary Chambers (@garychambersjr) on Jun 11, 2020 at 11:25am PDT. The time to speak on why you voted against a highly educated Black woman, a Black woman with more education than the majority of the people voting on the decision. The statue to the controversial Castleman has been vandalized often over the last ten years. Mr. ABC News reached out to Bernard but has yet to hear back. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=2501894830055909&ev=PageView&noscript=1" Despite denial, records show extensive online shopping by Connie . Katie Kennison was very close behind her in the race. [CDATA[ // <! According to the local TV station WVLA/WGMB, Bernard voted at the time to keep the name honoring the Confederate general. Prosecutors who reviewed a profanity-filled viral video of East Baton Rouge Parish School Board member Connie Bernard confronting a young partygoer at a Lakeside home last summer lodged a. Updated: Nov 10, 2022 / 09:38 AM CST BATON ROUGE, La. I stand with you, in love and respect.. [CDATA[ // <! I had intended to get up here and talk about how racist Robert E. Lee was, but Im going to talk about you, Connie. I stand on that, he said. [CDATA[ // <! He noted that 81% of the school system's 42,334 students identify as Black or African American. 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Activist erupts on school board member for shopping during hearing I love US for real. Connie Bernard chooses to stay in school board race after withdrawing Click here for December 10 election results. You should walk out of here and resign and never come back because you are the example of racism in this community, he added. She was shopping while citizens were speaking about changing the name of Lee High. I told Connie Bernard to her face she needed to resign from the East Baton Rouge School board. Bernard, who was not present in court, was initially cited the night of the party, Aug. 10, and pleaded not guilty Monday through her attorney. EBR school board member seen in profanity-filled video during confrontation pleads not guilty. Zoe Kravitz & Channing Tatum's NYC Bike Ride Looks Real Coupledom-Like, FAMILY AFFAIR: Keke Palmer And Her Boys Make Their Red Carpet Debut At Atlanta Film Fest, BABY #2 LOADING: Sydel Curry Shows Off Her Baby Bump Before Heading Off To See Her Husband Damion Lee's Playoff Game, Tyrese's Child Support Battle Takes A Costly Turn: Judge Orders Him To Pay Nearly $650K To Ex-Wife & Attorney, Ty Plans To Appeal, Antonio Browns Unpaid Child Support Prompts Judge To Issue An Arrest Warrant, Jonathan Majors Problems Mount As More Alleged Abuse Victims Collaborate With D.A. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman) And it was EPIC. History will judge us for what we do in this moment. Thanks Joe and Mika and the whole crew for the conversation. Change the named Lee High and resign Connie. In a June 10 interview with the station, she voiced support for keeping the name the same today. Weve had enough of her poor leadership. Battery case against School Board member Connie Bernard could be Democrat Katie Kennison was only 98 votes behind her with less than 5,700 votes. Speak truth to power, stand on your convictions, let NONE of them slide, and #KeepPushing. Towns. She caused something of an uproar earlier this year when she. Chambers fiery commentary at an East Baton Rouge Parish school board hearing June 18 comes amid a renewed reckoning with systemic racism, White supremacy and police violence against Black people, spurred by the police killing of George Floyd. Its time out for Black leaders who think they know better than the rest of us. The Advocate: Who is Connie Bernard: 5 facts about Baton Rouge school board member in viral video Bernard is seen on video walking out of the meeting as Chambers speaks. Peep the powerful clip above. Bucs' new O-line: Tristan Wirfs moves to left tackle, Luke Goedeke EBR School system is 81% Black. However, days before the hearing, board member Connie Bernard said she wanted to keep the name to honor the schools legacy. You are horrible.. Jonathan Majors Problems Mount As More Alleged Abuse Victims Collaborate With D.A. Bernard, whose term ends in 2022, previously served as the school boards vice president, WAFB-TV reported. In a now-viral video, an activist sharply criticized a Louisiana school board member who defended naming a school after Robert E. Lee and who then appeared to be online shopping while at a hearing on the topic. According to WAFB-TV, board members cannot legally vote to remove a member, but a voter recall could oust Bernard from her position if she decides not to resign. You sit your arrogant self in here and sit on there shopping while the pain and the hurt of the people of this community is on display because you dont give a damn and you should resign, the activist, Gary Chambers Jr., told board member Connie Bernard at the hearing. This is a picture of you shopping while were talking about racism and history in this country.. Lanus called to rename Lee Magnet High School earlier this month in a letter to the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. When we dont confront elected officials we give them permission to disrespect us and to devalue us. In her resignation letter, Bernard attributedthe decision to her husband's battle with cancer and her need to assist in his care. After we successfully pushed for Lee High to be removed as the name of a school, and in the same meeting one of US helped those who have worked against our community consistently. She was a school board member 4 years ago when they voted to keep Lee associated with the school. Three days after the incident, Bernard issued an apology for the profanity she used that night and the embarrassment the incident caused to friends and family, as well as distracting from her work on the School Board. When we dont confront elected officials we give them permission to disrespect us and to devalue us. Chambers!! The school changed its name from Robert E. Lee High School in 2016. I had intended to get up here and talk about how racist Robert E Lee was, but Im gonna talk about you, Connie, Chambers said. Chambers aint with the bull jive!! According to WAFB-TV, board members cannot legally vote to remove a member, but a voter. Every action requires a consequence!". Connie Bernard Connie Bernard (Image via East Baton Rouge Parish School System). voters in Bernard's southeast Baton Rouge District 8 . Shameful. A post shared by Kimberly Latrice Jones (@kimberlylatricejones), PREVIOUS: Chadwick Boseman Seen Being Wheeled Into An Emergency Room Months After Fans Questioned His Dramatic Weight Loss. Lets make some #GoodTrouble together. Remember that Dawn voted against a Black woman to lead this school district that is 81% Black. You sit your arrogant self in here and sit there shopping while the pain and hurt of the people of this community is on display, Chambers said. Chambers spoke with Roland Martin about his now viral video and what's happening on the ground in Baton Rouge #PressPlay Watch the 06.22.2020 edition of #RolandMartinUnfiltered https://youtu.be/hMQXFNGbn4U #RolandMartinUnfiltered Partner: CeekTry enjoying some live entertainment in the comforts of your home.Whether youre a music enthusiast or an ultra-base lover. We are all part of the solution.. She was shopping while citizens were speaking about changing the name of Lee High. Cher Spotted Holding Hands With Amber Roses Ex/Sons Father Alexander AE Edwards, Cher Hints At Being 'In Love' On Twitter, Fab Mama-To-Be Rihanna Spotted Shopping For Baby Clothes In Target, Fans Notice Shes Holding A Dress, BOO'D UP OR NAH? Im working to ensure that this isnt just a moment, but something that we can build momentum to create real change together. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Morning sunshine will turn to mostly cloudy skies, with a few possible showers forming, as a cold front approaches the area Gallery | The Best Photos of LSU DB Jarrick Bernard-Converse EBR school board president calls for Connie Bernard to resign - WAFB One school board's move to rename a Louisiana high school named after Robert E. Lee has resulted in calls for a board member to step down. He said this comes even after Bernards viral moment with Gary Chambers. Another board member, Dadrius Lanus wrote a lengthy post on Facebook addressing Bernard: You had every single opportunity to apologize after you embarrassed our school board on the news by openly supporting the legacy of Robert E. Lee, but you did not, he wrote. During Thursdays meeting, many of Bernards fellow board members expressed their disappointment in her suggestion that people research Lee more before insisting that the school change its name. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. "At such a monumental and unprecedented time in our nation's history, it would behoove our members to be on the right side of history, and reignite racial harmony in our great community.". This was not my intention when I offered to withdraw in the primary election. Where are our leaders? 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, Bernard said. 2023 Cox Media Group. He didn't just switch sides, he changed positions. Last week, school board member Dadrius Lanus introduced a resolution to set up a committee to rename Lee High School, which was originally named after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Along with sharing how the video came about, Kimberly also talked about the injustices Black people face beyond the headlines and her novel Im Not Dying with You Tonight." NBA baller LeBron James even retweeted the video: FACTS!!! Visit our Amazon Affiliate link for great deals and to support #RolandMartinUnfiltered - https://amzn.to/2OuLH70-Get a FREE trial to Amazon Prime on us - https://amzn.to/35XK4Vo Check out #RolandsBookClub and some of his favorite tech gear http://ow.ly/M5zF50uJPam NOW AVAILABLE: #RolandMartinUnfiltered Merch - https://teespring.com/stores/rolandmartin Subscribe to the #RolandMartin YouTube channel https://t.co/uzqJjYOukP Join the #RolandMartinUnfiltered #BringTheFunk Fan Club to support fact-based independent journalism http://ow.ly/VRyC30nKjpY Join the Roland Martin and #RolandMartinUnfiltered mailing list http://ow.ly/LCvI30nKjuj The Roland S. Martin YouTube channel is a news reporting site covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for \"fair use\" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. 2020. Speak truth to power, stand on your convictions, let NONE of them slide, and #KeepPushing. We won the vote to change the name of Lee High, but the work continues until Connie is gone. mbellue@ebrschools.org. Baton Rouge school board member Connie Bernard gets blasted for shopping online while the board debated renaming a school bearing Robert E. Lee's name. Also let Connie know its time for her to resign. "We'd like to see her do the right thing, but we're also prepared to take the next step.". EXCLUSIVE: Queens Court Hosts Holly Robinson Peete & Rodney Peete Share Relationship Lessons Learned From Magic Johnson & Samuel L. Jackson's Marriages, EXCLUSIVE: Idris Elba On The Emotional Toll Of Playing Luther, Reveals His Toughest Scene Yet, EXCLUSIVE: Power Book II Star Larenz Tate Reflects On Why The 90s Were So Special For Black Cinema & The Possibility Of Sequels, WEEKEND FOOLERY: Ye Blasts Kim K Over North Again & Pete Davidson Savagely CLAPS BACK + Kanye Threatens D.L. (BRPROUD) - A newcomer will be joining the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board. The Advocate also left messages Thursday with her listed attorney, Aidan Reynolds, as well as another attorney, John McLindon. Its unfortunate that the comments that you made were just extremely tone-deaf to our collective community, extremely tone-deaf to the students of our district, and I would be remiss if I didnt stand up to that, Tremelle Howard, the vice president of the school board, told Bernard. This is a picture of you shopping while were talking about racism and history in this country," Gary said in the video, holding up the image of her shopping online (below). https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_268e5b2e-5162-11e9-a304-4397bc7cfc9d.htmlhttps://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/courts/article_ac03715e-c354-11e9-ab49-c712c9b061fc.htmlhttps://m.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmingarychambers%2Fvideos%2F10163856623180013%2F\u0026show_text=0\u0026width=560https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_50df7e4c-b27f-11ea-b969-5b0376f4116f.html Then she got on TV last week telling Black folks we needed to learn more of Lees history. A three-minute video of activist Gary Chambers berating and calling for the resignation of East Baton Rouge Parish School Board member Connie Bernard has gone viral. Those who support her resignation are also pointing to an August 2018 incident in which she engaged in a physical conflict with a teenager. Do you hear me. Connie Bernard - Conservapedia Peep her comments below: Connie Bernard shouldve resigned in 2018, she absolutely should resign now. He said Lee was a brutal slave master, cited a slaves account of being beaten, and told the board to stop being in 1856. He also said they should name the school after someone on the right side of history, such as Louisianas first Black governor, P.B.S. Chambers aint with the bull jive!! It would be anything that she would like for me to consider so that I can give it to the affected parties, Moore said. The RENPHO Foot Massager Machine may be just the gift to make Mothers Day extra special for your mom this year. [CDATA[ // <! Katie Kennison wins EBR School Board District 8 seat "Her actions, as proven on the video, do not set a positive example for parents, students, or the system that she's elected to represent," said Carrie Griffin Monica, Executive Director of Stand for Children. Folks Are Giving MasterClasses On How To Read The Racists - And No 1 LSU baseball wins game 2 vs Alabama 12-8. Goedeke was a right tackle in college but the Bucs tried to shoehorn him in the starting lineup at left guard. Sitting over there shopping while were talking about Robert E. Lee. Baton Rouge activist Gary Chambers speaks out on viral video demanding There was a problem saving your notification. Elected official accused of shopping online during school board meeting Elected official accused of shopping online during school board meeting. SPRINGFIELD - A man was killed on Sunday BATON ROUGE - Bright orange scooters have made Saturday PM Forecast: Clouds Building In - A Few Passing Afternoon Showers. A viral video online shows a Louisiana school board member being chastised by a community member who called the elected official arrogant and racist. announced it was calling for Bernard to step down. Here's what we know. So if people tell you money is everything in politics, you can use this race as an example, stated Darr. Connie again has shown who she is. Tramelle D. Howard - Vice President of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board - told TMZ, "Myself and other members are asking for the immediate resignation of our colleague this week.". According to the East Baton Maurepas man killed in Livingston Parish motorcycle wreck. I stand with you, in love and respect., Bernard also said that she agrees with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, The Advocate reported. We got work to do. Weather Underground provides local & long-range weather forecasts, weatherreports, maps & tropical weather conditions for the Baton Rouge area. Most of the school board members dont even have as much education as this woman and they voted for a white woman with less skills to lead a school district that is 81% Black. [CDATA[ // <! Thank you Mr. I told Connie Bernard to her face she needed to resign from the East Baton Rouge School board. "You sit your arrogant self in here and sit on there shopping while the pain and the hurt of the people of this community is on display, because you don't give a damn. Connie needs to resign. [CDATA[ By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising.