Missouri lawmaker calls for racial bias training at Capitol

State Rep. Joshua Peters is urging the Missouri House of Representatives to require unconscious racial bias training for elected officials and staff as part of state policy.

“I have reported an incident involving racially offensive comments made by a staff member of the Missouri General Assembly,” said Peters. “It was done in the presence of my staff member who is an African American woman and who took high offense at the comments. I am calling for an immediate and swift response to make sure Missouri’s State Capitol remains a non-hostile work environment for everyone.”

Peters represents St. Louis’ 76th District in the Missouri House.

The 30-year-old Democrat did not expound on the incident, nor did he release the name of the staff member who he said made the offensive comments.

“I find it appalling that in this day and age, and with the national attention these incidents have received, that there is not better screening and training already in place to have purged racially offensive language and comments in the seat of the people’s government,” said Peters.