West Virginia Education Association Story Archives - Page 2 of 3

W.Va. Education Union Files Injunction As Governor Defends School Re-Entry Map

The West Virginia Education Association, which is West Virginia’s largest teachers’ union in the state, filed an injunction Monday morning challenging the safety of the governor’s school re-entry map.

The injunction claims the state map is unsafe and under constant manipulation by state officials just to get students back into brick-and-mortar classrooms.

The injunction also seeks to temporarily suspend the map, as well as the enforcement of the West Virginia Open Meeting Act as it relates to the panel that meets prior to the map’s posting on Saturday nights.

The school re-entry map is determined by a panel of experts every Saturday from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and the West Virginia Department of Education.

Last week, WVEA President Dale Lee announced his intention to file the injunction with the Kanawha County Circuit Court. It was officially filed Monday.

“We know how important it is for students to be back in classrooms working with their teachers,” Lee said in a news release. “No one wants in-person education more than our members, but they no longer feel their safety is the top priority of our state government’s leadership. Our goal is for students to return to school as soon as possible but we must be able to do that safely based on the circumstances in individual counties.”

The union points to Harvard’s color-coded map, which shows a higher rate of COVID-19 spread in the state. The union is calling on Gov. Jim Justice to follow this map, or independent health experts, instead.

Justice responded to the injunction in a recent virtual press briefing.

“If we were going just by the Harvard model, we know, we would have a third to a half of the state of West Virginia, probably the safest state in the nation, a third to a half of the state would be shut down,” Justice said. “You know, from the standpoint of being in school … We know 70 percent of the people in the state of West Virginia wanted to go back to school.”

The governor argues the move by the union is political.

Local Education Unions Claim Higher Numbers Of Coronavirus Cases In W.Va. Schools

A coalition of education union members from across the state claim that COVID-19 cases in West Virginia public schools are higher than what is being reported by the state Department of Education.

Members of the West Virginia United Caucus, which includes the state chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, the West Virginia Education Association, and the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association, held a press conference Tuesday night over Zoom and Facebook Live to release numbers from their Covid Tracking.

The group claims that since schools opened Sept. 8, there have been at least 149 cases of the coronavirus in West Virginia schools from 41 counties.

This is in contrast with the West Virginia Department of Education’s COVID-19 outbreak map that, at this time, lists 26 cases in seven counties.

State officials say outbreaks are defined as two or more confirmed COVID-19 cases among students and staff from separate households, within a 14-day period in a single classroom or core group.

But members of the West Virginia United Caucus take issue with these specifications, arguing the coronavirus could easily pass from one group to another if, for example, separate groups share a school bathroom.

Jay O’Neal, a Kanawha County teacher and member of the caucus, said the group made their own covid tracker to allow teachers and service personnel to anonymously report cases in case there were any concerns about retaliation.

“We’re very concerned,” O’Neal said. “We’d like to see a lot more transparency and some real actions to have some metrics that are objective and that really kind of reflect reality.”

O’Neal said the caucus vetted any reported cases, checking news sites or confirming with principals or boards of education.

In a recent virtual press briefing, Gov. Jim Justice was asked about the numbers provided by the West Virginia United Caucus. Justice said he didn’t know about the tracker and insisted that state officials are “working around the clock” to ensure the information they share is accurate and honest.

“I’m absolutely capable of making a mistake, but I am not capable of not telling you the truth,” Justice said. “So, I’m going to make sure the information that’s reported to people is truthful and transparent. And I hope to goodness that we won’t get parents acting upon rumors … I really believe that the results we’re putting out are transparent and on the money.”

Also, on Tuesday evening, West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee, released a statement saying the continued changes to the COVID-19 color-coded school map “go too far.” The statement went on to say the WVEA will be seeking an injunction.

“In the next few days our attorneys will be filing an injunction in Kanawha County Circuit Court challenging the continued changes made to the map and whether it has compromised the safety of the students and employees in our public schools,” Lee said. “Our injunction seeks to return the state’s color-coded map to reflect the intent of those national experts regarding the health and safety of our students and employees.”

The governor also responded to this move by the WVEA in a recent press briefing.

“I appreciate and respect people’s legitimate concern,” Justice said. “Now, I do not have any patience whatsoever with their political motives, and if that’s what this is, then I have no patience with that whatsoever.”

W.Va. Teachers' Union Wants Public Schools To Start Online

A West Virginia teachers’ union is urging public schools to avoid face-to-face instruction when students return next month due to the coronavirus.

The West Virginia Education Association suggested the online-only start Thursday based on a survey of the union’s membership.

WVEA President Dale Lee said most of the respondents felt uncomfortable returning to classrooms under their individual county’s reopening plans. In addition, nearly all members were skeptical that students could effectively maintain social distancing and wear masks.

“Full distance learning will give time for counties to get a handle on the situation and to further iron out the details on how the next steps of the school re-entry will be handled in each location,” Lee said.

Gov. Jim Justice has pushed back the start of the school year to Sept. 8. He said recently that a final decision on the reopening would have to be made by Sept. 1.

Last month American Federation of Teachers’ state chapter president Fred Albert expressed doubt that face-to-face instruction could occur safely based on health trends.

The number of virus-related deaths in West Virginia has jumped 23% since last Friday, pushing the total for the pandemic to at least 153. Confirmed cases in West Virginia have tripled in the past seven weeks to more than 8,150.

Lee said two-thirds of WVEA educators consider themselves at risk due to health, age or caregiver concerns.

“We understood that every county and their individual schools are unique in each circumstance,” he said. ”But safety for the employees and the students should be foremost everywhere. One outbreak of the virus is one outbreak too many. And starting before we are truly prepared will simply force shutdowns and create additional anxiety and uncertainty.”

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal. The vast majority of people recover.

June 15, 1960: Educator W.W. Trent Dies

Educator W. W. Trent died on June 15, 1960, at age 82. Having served as state superintendent of schools for nearly a quarter-century, Trent was known to legions of West Virginia schoolchildren for his scrawled signature on their report cards.

The Nicholas County native went to Marshall State Normal School (now Marshall University) and Columbia University before rising through the teaching ranks to become secretary of the West Virginia Education Association, editor of the influential West Virginia School Journal, and president of Broaddus College and Alderson-Broaddus College for six years.

After becoming state superintendent in 1933, Trent implemented the new county unit system in public schools. An outspoken defender of teacher interests, he fought off several attempts to check his powers and played a key role in the racial integration of West Virginia schools.

He was also a formidable Democratic politician. He won reelection to superintendent five times and, on several instances, garnered more votes than his party’s candidate for governor. His long political career came to an end after Dwight Eisenhower and the Republicans swept the state in the 1956 election.

West Virginia Education Forums Set to Start

West Virginia education officials are kicking off a series of public hearings as part of preparations for an upcoming special legislative session. The first of seven forums is set for Monday night at Cabell Midland High School in Ona.

Others forums this week are scheduled for Tuesday night at Mount View High School in Welch, Wednesday at Capital High in Charleston and Thursday at Woodrow Wilson High in Beckley.

Three final forums will be held in early April in Clarksburg, Wheeling, and Berkeley Springs.

Each forum will start at 6:00 in the evening and will include discussions in small groups on core education issues.

Gov. Jim Justice called the special session to address teacher pay raises and other education issues. He asked legislators to meet with teachers, parents and other stakeholders before returning to Charleston later this year.

President of the West Virginia Education Association Dale Lee said the WVEA will also be holding its own set of educational town halls in all seventeen of West Virginia’s Senatorial districts.

West Virginia Union School Workers Authorize Statewide Action

Updated: Sunday, Feb. 11 at 10:25 p.m.

State leaders of unions representing teachers and school service personnel have been authorized to take statewide action.

More than 150 union members representing all 55 counties met with state chapter presidents Dale Lee, of the West Virginia Education Association, and Christine Campbell, of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia.

Fueled by growing frustrations over teacher pay, employment vacancies and a dwindling benefits package, Lee and Campbell described the authorization for action as “overwhelmingly in support.” Neither would provide an exact count of the vote.

Both called this weekend’s meeting in Flatwoods “historic,” noting that it was the first time representatives of both organizations had come together.

However, authorization for a work action isn’t necessarily imminent or guaranteed, Lee and Campbell said, and they are hoping to see the legislative process satisfy their collective hopes.

According to The National Education Association, a nationwide group to which WVEA belongs, West Virginia was 48th among the 50 states and Washington, D.C., in average teacher pay in 2017. NEA’s website states that the states’s beginning teacher salary is $32,435 and the average salary is $44,701.

Proposed changes to PEIA, the insurance provider for teachers and other state employees, has called for premium and deductible increases, as well as penalties for not fulfilling the requirements of a wellness program. The PEIA Finance Board has scheduled public hearings on the proposed changes across the state this week.

However, uncertainties over whether a salary increase — specifically, how much — and if these proposed changes to PEIA will take place is what has led to the authorization of a work action.

“It is open ended,” Campbell said of what might come next. “It was an authorization from the counties to call on state leadership [of the unions] for action, if needed.”

Campbell explained that union members are expecting to “see evidence of priorities” from legislative leaders as session’s end draws closer. The 60-day session ends March 10.

Teachers and school services personnel have organized walk-ins and other events across the state in recent weeks, including a work stoppage and rally at the Capitol on Friday, Feb. 2 by those from Logan, Mingo and Wyoming counties. Workers from elsewhere also joined as a result of weather closing school in their counties. Lee said to expect those types of actions to continue.

“People are angry and they are going to continue to do these activities,” he said.

“Too many years have gone by with a ‘next year,’ ” Campbell said, noting that state government leaders have promised teacher pay raises and a PEIA fix in the past, but have failed to deliver.

Gov. Jim Justice joined Senate President Mitch Carmichael and House Speaker Tim Armstead at a Thursday news conference to discuss a freeze on proposed changes to PEIA benefits — including premium and deductible increases.

Justice and Carmichael agreed during the press conference that a 1-1-1-1-1 formula (a 1-percent raise in each of the next five years) was the conservative and smart way forward — given that state revenues are still stabilizing and the future is uncertain. Armstead noted that he believes a 2-1-1-1 formula (a 2-percent pay increase in the first year and an additional 1-percent raise in each of following three years) was possible.

The AFT-WV and WVEA scheduled a news conference for 1 p.m. Monday at the Capitol. Additionally, a teachers’ rally is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 17, also at the Capitol.