The Battle Between West Virginia Teachers and Republicans Is About to Get Ugly
West Virginia public school teachers and the state’s Republican legislators are once again on a collision course over charter schools. And things could get ugly.
On Monday, the House of Delegates advanced a sweeping education bill out of committee that would introduce charter schools into the state. The last time the GOP floated the introduction of charter schools in the state, in February, West Virginia teachers mobilized and went on strike, eventually stopping the bill in its tracks.
This time, however, West Virginia teachers are being hit from a few more directions in a fight that’s become about something much larger than pay raises: the future of public education in the state. Earlier this month, state senators passed a proposal that would not only introduce charter schools into the state but also specify that teachers who go on strike are breaking the law.
Although teacher strikes are already technically illegal in West Virginia, teachers get away with strikes because of their sheer numbers and broad public support for their cause. But the Senate’s proposal seeks to undercut such movements before they begin by adding specific measures to punish CONTINUE READING: The Battle Between West Virginia Teachers and Republicans Is About to Get Ugly – VICE News