Local Educators Say More Staff, Resources Needed To Address Behaviorial Issues in Schools
Derek Redd Trending
WHEELING -- Local educators have concerns about new state law that mandates "highly disruptive" students be removed from the classrooms, be taught in-school by their principals, or perhaps sent home or to an alternative school.
At issue is House Bill 2890, passed by the West Virginia Legislature this year. When they convene for regular session next month, lawmakers expect to discuss and amend the bill based on feedback they've heard from educators.
The measure pertains to students in grades 6-12.
Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller questions what constitutes "a highly disruptive student."
"I would like to see a definition of what is a highly disruptive child." she said. "Is it someone who throws a chair? Starts a fight? Chews gum? And what experts are we going to be able to provide in the classroom to help them?"
Miller said she believes children learn best while in school. But while she does believe there are some situations where students should be removed from classrooms, she thinks they should be returned "once we see the behaviors we want to see."
"There are isolated situations that take place, and local school systems should have control over how they are handled," Miller said. "I don't want our teachers and students where violent behaviors are taking place."
She said the legislation as written forces principals "to be creative" with staffing and how they address behaviors.
"If a school has 500 students -- and just a handful of disruptive students -- a principal may need additional techniques," Miller explained. "There needs to be more attention on mental health and behaviors.
"Removing children from the education setting, I don't believe is the answer."
She suggests the state provide additional funding for staff training so teachers can work with troubled students in the classroom.
"Having them go home for virtual instruction doesn't take away the disruptive part. Teachers have to work with them to take away the disruptive behaviors," she said. "Disruptive behavior is happening. We just have to find ways to address those issues."
Wheeling Middle School Principal Rich McCardle said high school and middle school principals have been briefed on the legislation.
"I get where they are coming from," he said of state lawmakers. "We know we want the students in the classroom, but disruptive behaviors hinder others who want to learn."
When there is an in-school suspension of a student, someone has to observe the student and make certain they are behaving and learning.
"Then you worry about the staff, and if you have enough staffing," McCardle continued.
Making certain there is a teacher available to oversee in-school suspension takes an educator away from providing other resources to students in the classroom, he noted.
As the bill is written, the responsibility of watching the unruly student falls to the principal.
"I have to run a building, conduct testing, have parent meetings, staff meetings, a lot of things that an administrator does," McCardle said. "He doesn't just sit in his office. We want to make sure teachers are teaching so students are getting as high an education as they can."
Additionally, the principal is required to spend much time observing teachers in their classrooms and watch as they offer their lessons to students, he added.
"I need to see teachers teaching what is needed on the (standardized) tests," McCardle said. "How can I do this sitting in my office?
"I want them (students) all in school. I want them to come and learn and be productive in society."
At the high school level, Wheeling Park High School Principal Meredith Dailer also expressed concerns about HB 2890.
"It (the legislation) does present concerns - particularly with excluding students all day long," Dailer said. "Our goal as educators is to educate children. If they are not in classrooms, that makes it all the more difficult."
She added the bill as currently written also makes it challenging for disciplining students with special needs and maintaining their required "least restrictive environment for the school day."
"We want to support teachers in their classrooms when dealing when they are dealing with disrespectful behaviors," Dailer said. "But finding a balance while providing education to kids has to be a top priority."
She said "no" when asked if violent behavior problems have increased at WPHS.
"But there have been some issues expressed by other schools, such as who is supervising (students removed from the classroom) and having the personnel to provide their education," she said.
Marshall County Schools Superintendent Shelby Haines has received feedback indicating there is some misconception in the community about the bill as it is currently written where it pertains to assigning unruly students to alternative schools.
She notes that the bill states that after a student is removed from a classroom on three occasions, the student "could be transferred to another setting," such as an alternative school.
"People need to take a minute and educate themselves about the bill," Haines said. "It's not mandatory at all to send students to alternative school."
She doesn't see the bill much changing what already happens in Marshall County Schools.
"Many of our schools use in-school suspension as an alternative to out-of-school suspension. This way they are where they are warm, fed and watched over.
"And an out-of-school suspension can be a reward for some kids. You need to know your student before any punishment is rendered."
Haines has been in education for 27 years, and has a background teaching special education and those with "behavior issues."
She doesn't think behavioral issues are becoming worse among students.
"I don't know if they're worse, but they are different than what we dealt with in years past," Haines said. "I started teaching in 1996, and it's a lot different today. Students today have technology and social media and are craving immediate reinforcement and attention. It's not worse. It's just a lot different."
McCardle has been in education for 35 years, and said he does see more behavior issues now than in the past.
"It's definitely worse," he explained. "It's not the violence, but the climate of how students think they should act in the classroom. I know kids watch and use things they see on social media. It affects how they speak to each other because that's what they saw on TikTok. How do you change that?"
McCardle said he doesn't have all the answers, but he does have an idea as to where to start.
"We need to put more importance on the parents as to what is expected, and engage the parents more in the building so that they have ownership and want their children to learn," he said. "But I don't know if we can change parenting."