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CHARLESTON -- Gov. Jim Justice signed a landmark piece of education reform Friday, but canceled two bill events after due to anticipated protests by members of teachers' and school service personnel unions.
In a press release Friday afternoon, Justice announced that he signed 23 bills, including House Bill 206 -- the education omnibus bill that passed the legislature Monday.
"Looking at the bill in its entirety – with all of its many, many great pieces that help our children and our teachers – there is truly so much good that will benefit teachers, students, and all West Virginians," Justice said. "I am really pleased with where we got to at the end of the day and I commend the Senate and the House for working with me to come to a compromise that will result in a big win for the entire education community and all West Virginians."
The brief statement struck a stark contrast to two bill signing events that were tentatively scheduled for next week but were canceled after the threat of possible protests.
A spokesperson for Kanawha County Schools confirmed Friday that a bill signing event for House Bill 206 slated to take place Monday, July 1, at Overlook Elementary School in Charleston was canceled by the Governor's Office.
Another bill signing event scheduled the same day for Driswood Elementary School in Jefferson County was canceled according to Del. Sammy Brown, D-Jefferson. She took to her Facebook profile Friday morning notifying her followers about the possible signing event.
"This is not the will of the people of Jefferson County," Brown said. "This is not the will of the State West Virginia. This is certainly not the will of Educators, and Personnel."
A few hours later, Brown announced that the Jefferson County event was canceled.
"Because of your engagement, rapid action, and willingness to mobilize- you were, in fact, heard," Brown wrote on Facebook. "What an amazing collaborative effort early this AM to push back. Ladies and gentleman: The Governor will NOT be signing in JCo. I repeat: omnibus will not be signed in Jefferson County."
HB 206 was passed by the House of Delegates June 19 and the state Senate June 24. The bill includes several items to improve funding for county school systems; increased pay for teachers and school services personnel, as well as additional pay for math teachers and special education teachers; money for more mental health professionals in schools, and a public charter school program.
Jordan Damron, spokesperson for Gov. Justice, said neither event in Kanawha and Jefferson counties were officially announced.
"The governor's office asked the Department of Education to make a preliminary inquiry into potential locations for a signing ceremony in the event the governor chose to hold one," Damron said. "None were officially scheduled, and none are scheduled at this time."
Damron said the governor's office received HB 206 and other supplemental appropriations bills from the legislature Friday. According to the state constitution, Justice had five days -- excluding Sundays -- to sign or veto the bill, otherwise the bill becomes law without his signature.
The West Virginia Education Association -- one of three unions representing teachers and school service personnel -- wrote Justice asking him to veto HB 206. Several Democratic house members also urged Justice to veto the bill, including the Democratic House Women's Caucus.
"Our constituents have spoken overwhelmingly against certain components of HB 206, most strongly against allowing charter schools into West Virginia," Brown said in a statement. "When we passed the bill out of the House, we lost the opportunity to show them that we not only represent them, but we respect them and their voices."