Gov. Jim Justice Will Address Teachers in Wheeling
Trending
WHEELING -- As school districts across West Virginia remain closed this morning for a third straight school day due to a statewide teacher strike, Gov. Jim Justice is wading into the fray by scheduling a visit today to Wheeling Park High School to address public school teachers and employees.
Justice is slated to speak at Wheeling Park's J.B. Chambers Performing Arts Center at 8:30 a.m. today, according to Ohio County Schools Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones.
The town hall-style meeting is open to the public.
Calls to the governor's office were not immediately returned Sunday. Justice also is scheduled to meet with teachers and the public at Spring Mills High School in Martinsburg and University High School in Morgantown.
The teacher strike is also likely to be the topic of discussion when the Ohio County Board of Education meets later in the day today.
The location of the meeting has been changed, and the board will now meet at 6 p.m. at the Beneke Theater at Wheeling Park.
Jones said he doesn't yet know whether schools will be closed on Tuesday, as that decision will likely come from today's board meeting.
School administrators across West Virginia, meanwhile, will be monitoring the happenings closely when the West Virginia state Board of Education meets at 2 p.m. Tuesday at its office in Charleston. State Superintendent of Schools Steven Paine has indicated the board may discuss at the meeting seeking an injunction that would force the teachers back to work on Wednesday.
"That sounds like the route they are taking," Jones said. "If that's the route, everyone will be in school Wednesday. We believe our employees will follow the injunction, and come back to school.
"If there is not an injunction, there will be an entirely different set of thoughts and meetings."
Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, said Sunday he was not aware Justice would be making stops in the state today to talk with teachers.
Also Sunday, Marshall County Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Crook released a statement saying the school district " supports our teachers, staff, students, and community members and business partners."
"But we are facing a very difficult situation," he said. "We will be reviewing school closures on a daily basis. … Sometimes it's difficult to understand the whole situation. I can assure you our staff love and respect our students and go well beyond the call of duty.
"They face numerous challenges in the classrooms daily. They are on the front line of the opioid crisis. We all see the increasing number of students entering our schools in need of support systems just to function normally for the day," he said.
"We also see the great potential in all of our students. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all our teachers, staff, students and parents for their continued support.
"This is a very difficult time and hopefully we will be back to our normal schedule very soon. Once this situation has been resolved, we will continue to be the best school district in the state working as a team."
Tyler County Schools Superintendent Robin Daquilante is hopeful issues can be worked out for teachers.
"I'm expecting something could happen (today) or Tuesday," she said. "As for me, I'm going to Charleston. … That's going to be my contribution."
While all school districts in the Northern Panhandle have called off school for today, Brooke County Schools indicated the cancellation there was for problems expected to be caused by flooding and not the employee walkout.
Staff Writer Alan Olson contributed to this story.