CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Board of Education has the authority to issue a mask mandate for every school in the state but decided Wednesday to continue to leave that decision in the hands of county school boards.
Board members had a long discussion about masks during their regular monthly meeting held in Charleston but they took no official votes.
Approximately 30 of the state’s 55 school districts now have universal mask mandates, 13 districts have masks as an option while the remaining counties depend on their color on the COVID alert map. The board discussed whether they should order the optional counties to require masks. The board’s attorney Heather Hutchens told the board it has the authority to issue a mandate.
State Board Vice President Tom Campbell favors masks but said a local decision is likely more effective.
“I think we’re more likely to have a behavior change if the local district makes the decision versus it coming from Charleston,” Campbell said. “It’s going to be enforced better. I think we’re going to have better results.”
Several members agreed with Campbell including Jim Wilson.
“Leave it up for the local board to decide in conjunction with their local health department,” he said.
Member Debra Sullivan seemed to lean toward a mandate.
“We can’t do anything about the vaccines (mandate) but masks–it’s a piece of cloth, it’s a piece of paper and it protects everyone,” Sullivan said.
The department’s website listed more than a dozen schools in a dozen counties that were closed Wednesday because of COVID-19 cases.
Campbell and fellow board member Stan Maynard criticized state residents who could but have chosen not to be vaccinated.
“No where else in our legal system do you have that authority to endanger the greater community, except with COVID,” Maynard said.
Campbell said he had grown weary of the repeated message to the unvaccinated.
“The average West Virginian needs to step up here. This isn’t about state government, this isn’t about the state Board of Education. I’m sorry, I’m giving a lecture here but I’m getting tired of it. The average West Virginian needs to step up here and get vaccinated. That’s what it’s going to take,” Campbell said.
State Board President Miller Hall held off any vote on the issue. He asked department officials to gather data on how the pandemic is impacting the schools in the counties with no mandate.
“Are they shutting down schools? What are they doing? Are they having a real, real issue? We need to see that,” Miller said. “All the data you can get, get it and we’ll look at it.”
Miller said any board decision would come in a short period of time.
Frustrated and weary
West Virginia American Federation of Teachers President Fred Albert told the state board Wednesday he’s talked to many teachers who are worn out after dealing with COVID for what is now parts of three school years.
“I’ve had several teachers who have been at this for a while who have told me, ‘I’m just ready to leave,'” Albert said.
He added the teachers see no help, feel they are being disrespected and are being told almost every day they must do something different.
“I don’t know all the answers but we do have a problem that we need to address,” Albert told the board.
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee discussed several COVID-related issues with the board.
Lee said when the daily alert map is ‘orange’ or ‘red’ masks should be required in schools. He said currently that would be every school in the state.
In some counties, according to Lee, teachers are being asked to use their sick days when they have to quarantine. Lee said that’s an unfair request given the federal pandemic relief money counties have received.
“We have $1.2 billion in relief money. Counties have the money to do this,” Lee said.
Lee also asked the board to put teachers near the front of the line when booster shots are given out.
He also asked that teachers be compensated for doing two jobs. He said many are teaching in-person and remotely.
Kanawha County School Superintendent Tom Williams told his board members Monday they are considering extra-duty contracts to pay teachers for their extra work caused by the pandemic.
“We can’t give a bonus with ESSERF (pandemic relief) money, it’s specifically doesn’t allow that. However, we could give them an extra duty contract so to speak. That is something we are exploring with our treasurer,” Williams said.