After September Cancellation, State Board Of Education Moves October Meeting Up

The West Virginia Board of Education has rescheduled their October meeting. The board normally meets on the second Wednesday of the month, but instead will meet Wednesday, Oct. 1.

In a press release, the board said the rescheduling is due to ongoing litigation.

The board and all its members are defendants in a Ritchie County lawsuit to allow religious exemptions to school vaccine requirements. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals also issued a scheduling order for written arguments in the Ritchie County case, West Virginia Board of Education, et al. v. Miranda G. 

The board has repeatedly affirmed its stance that county school districts must uphold vaccine requirements from state law. This is despite an executive order from Gov. Patrick Morrisey that allows for religious and philosophical exemptions.

The board also held multiple meetings in July to discuss vaccine litigation, as well as a lawsuit against Secretary of State Kris Warner. Warner rejected a policy the board approved during a special meeting for not complying with House Bill 2755 that requires the legislature to approve school policies.

The announcement for the October meeting comes after the board cancelled their September meeting “due to a scheduling conflict involving ongoing litigation.” September was the second cancellation of a board meeting this year after the board’s January meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather.