Rep. Justin Jones repeated his role in the Tennessee State House by calling out a Republican-sponsored bill that targets teaching about race, sex and what Republicans call other “divisive concepts” in higher education.
“Do you believe that racists ban the concept of systemic racism and American history?” Jones asked Republican state Rep. John Ragan there during the debate over HB 1376, Bill Ragan introduced. The legislation would strengthen legislation passed last year that withholds funding from schools that teach concepts related to systemic racism and sexism.
The existing law echoes language used in other state legislatures across the country to address “critical race theory” during Republican culture wars in the education framework.
“My faith is in God,” replied Ragan Jones. “I solve other things with facts and data. The truth is, sir, this bill is not racist. It is not unconstitutional.”
Jones replied: “You keep exalting God. but God said in Isaiah 10: ‘Woe to those who make unjust laws, who hurt the poor and rob them of their rights.’
“And stop using God to justify your bigotry,” he said. “Don’t use God to justify hatred and racism.”
At that moment, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Cameron Sexton, a Republican, hit the gavel and told Jones: “You are out of order.”
Jones is one of two Black Democrats recently expelled from the state legislature by the GOP supermajority for joining protesters who chanted in the House chamber in support of gun control after the school shooting in Nashville last month.
Jones was reinstated by the Nashville Metropolitan Council; state Rep. Justin Pearson was reinstated by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in Memphis.
According to Jones’ campaign website, he has a BA in political science and completed a master’s degree in theological studies at Vanderbilt University.
A clip of his comment about God on Wednesday has been viewed more than 500,000 times.