Justice strikes back at teachers’ unions
CHARLESTON — Gov. Jim Justice and Superintendent of Schools Clayton Burch said Friday that claims they have not been in communication with unions representing teachers and school service personnel were unfounded.
“It disappoints me tremendously. … We turn back to this same old nasty politics,” Justice said. “It hurts your feelings, because I have stood strongly in the camp, and I will continue to do so, because I believe in our teachers and I absolutely believe in the great work our service personnel does.”
Justice and Burch, speaking Friday during a coronavirus briefing, addressed comments made by representatives of the West Virginia affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association during a Thursday press conference. The two unions were joined by Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango, Justice’s Democratic challenger in the November election.
“Everyone knows that was just a political stunt yesterday,” Justice said. “We’ve been as helpful as we can possibly be, and I would put my record as far as helping our teachers and our service personnel up against past predecessors and it would be overwhelming. Where I’ve stood, I’ve stood rock-solid helping them and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
Both unions criticized Justice for his handling of an announcement of Wednesday of a new color-coded system for determining when schools should go from in-person learning to a hybrid of in-person and virtual learning to all virtual learning depending on the number of COVID-19 cases in a county. They also said neither of the unions have had direct conversations with Justice or the governor’s office.
“It is totally preposterous to think that they have not been communicated with in every way,” Justice said. “This is nothing but nasty, nasty politics, without any question, they’ve been in the loop all the way.”
Burch, who was selected as the new state superintendent of schools in June after serving as the acting chief of the Department of Education, said teachers and school service personnel have been involved in helping the state department craft its guidelines as well as working with local county school systems on their re-entry plans.
“It is a shame, because our counties are doing a great job,” Burch said. “From day one (the unions) have been with us and have brought every single item of concern from teachers and service personnel and the parents and community to us as we built these guidance documents. I’ve made myself as available as often as I can. I’ve never turned down any opportunity to talk to groups whoever they may be.”
The metrics for the new color-coded system, which will go from green, yellow, orange and red, are being developed over the next 10 to 14 days by state health officials and the Department of Education. Burch said the system will give parents and educators another tool to look at when deciding to keep school systems open.
“This map and metric is another tool that’s going to ensure that these local superintendents can make the best decisions they can,” Burch said.
The unions also criticized plans to put 1,000 WiFi hot spots at schools, higher education facilities and libraries. Union representatives said the logistics of getting students to these sites by bus drivers and providing food for these students was not possible with the number of school service personnel in the counties. Justice and Burch were confident the logistical issues could be worked out in time for the Sept. 8 target start date for schools.
“We’ve got to improvise. We’ve got to figure it out,” Justice said. “Absolutely what we’re going to do is get our kids fed and we’re going to get our kids fed where they can get the food. And we’re absolutely going to transport our kids around and we’re going to get it done. That’s the only way to go at this.”
“The goal is to take care of each and every one of these children,” Burch said. “I have to believe that every one of those 55 county superintendents are going to work to make sure nobody goes hungry, that everybody gets fed. We have superintendents that are actually beginning to work with families to find out who needs assistance.”
Burch said the Department of Education has access to more than $200 million in various funding streams from the federal C.A.R.E.S. Act, with grant writers working with counties to seek out additional sources of funding for mental and emotional health services, technology, and nutrition.
Justice and Burch clarified Friday that while parents would be able to opt for virtual learning if they still feel it’s unsafe to send their children to school, county school systems would work with teachers and school service personnel who have pre-existing medical conditions that would place them at greater risk of COVID-19 complications on an individual basis. Otherwise, teachers would be required to report to schools.
(Adams can be contacted at sadams@newsandsentinel.com)
COMMENTS