CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Thursday on Senate Bill 154, a proposed law that would prohibit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. The bill has sparked heated debate, drawing responses from lawmakers, educators, and the public.
During the hearing, District 2 Senator Chris Rose (R-Monongalia) engaged in a pointed exchange with Nitro High School math teacher Adam Wolfe, pressing him on the topic of gender.
You can listen the verbal exchange between the men through the audio or transcript below:
“You say you’re a math teacher, so let me give you something a little easier. How many genders are there?” Rose asked.
Wolfe responded, “There’s… a spectrum of genders.”
Rose countered, “There are two — male and female. Have you ever been to a farm?”
When Wolfe acknowledged that he had, Rose continued, “On a farm, does a rooster lay eggs? Or does a hen lay eggs?”
Wolfe replied, “Aaah… this is — I don’t think that this is — I’m not an expert on these things, so I don’t…”
Rose pressed on, calling it “a very easy question” and adding, “This is common sense. Something a teacher with a lot of education should know if they’re teaching children.”
Wolfe, attempting to steer away from the farm analogy, said, “We didn’t cover that in engineering class, sorry.”
Rose quipped, “Well, you should have at least covered it in your K through 12 or FFA. But the point of it is — a rooster doesn’t self-identify as a hen and start laying eggs.”
The exchange highlighted the tense atmosphere surrounding Senate Bill 154. Supporters of the bill argue that it protects children from what they view as inappropriate topics, while opponents claim it marginalizes LGBTQ+ students and censors important discussions about identity and inclusion.
The Judiciary Committee has yet to vote on the bill, but the hearing has already drawn statewide attention, with both sides of the debate voicing strong opinions.
Further discussions are expected in the coming weeks as the bill moves through the legislative process.
You read the proposed West Virginia Senate Bill 154 below:
River News Network will keep you updated on the status of this bill.
