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Salango, West Virginia teachers unions seek more info on school reopenings

Justice, Burch push back on claims of unpreparedness

By Steven Allen Adams 5 min read

CHARLESTON -- Kanawha County Commissioner and Democratic candidate for governor Ben Salango joined the West Virginia chapter of the American Federation of Teachers in calling on Republican Gov. Jim Justice and state education officials to be more transparent.

The call didn't land well upon Justice and state Superintendent of Schools Clayton Burch, who both believe schools have ample access to funding, supplies and personal protective equipment and that they are communicating with county school systems.

Salango Joined AFT-WV President Fred Albert in front of AFT's Charleston headquarters for the union's national day of action for safe schools. AFT chapters across the state and country participated in honk-and-waves and other activities to bring awareness to the public health issues involved with reopening public schools.

"As the new school year begins all over the country, parents, teachers, and school staff are struggling to find out how to go back to school safely and meet the needs of all students," Albert said. "In many of our school systems, our teachers and service personnel miss their students. We want to return to teaching and to learning, but it must be safe. Our elected leaders have only a few days left to put the proper safety measures and resources into place before school is slated to start."

Albert said union members believe many counties are ready to begin in-person schooling starting Sept. 8. However, union members were concerned about other counties, including their ability to stockpile personal protective equipment, lack of posted protocols for what to do if a positive coronavirus case is found in their school, poor ventilation issues in even new schools, and the changing of school re-entry requirements.

Salango criticized Justice's plan Monday to test all student athletes, coaches, cheerleaders and marching band members in counties designated orange on Saturday's County Alert System map. Kanawha, Fayette, and Logan counties were orange Saturday, prohibiting them from participating in sports or extracurricular activities except for practices. Justice offered testing to those counties, which they all declined. Salango and union officials accused Justice of not consulting with counties first.

"For the last few months, we have seen a true lack of leadership from Jim Justice," Salango said. "I'm calling on the governor to have communication with our local leaders, with our superintendents so that we can actually come up with a good plan, a safe plan for school."

Salango has called for thermal and hands-free temperature scanners at school entrances and additional funding for personal protective equipment. Salango and Albert also said Justice and state officials were being less than transparent about instances of infected teachers and staff in public schools."I'm hearing reports of teachers, after just being back for one week and without students in the buildings, testing positive for COVID-19," Salango said. "Information, by the way, that's not being released to the public by the governor's office. We've got to make sure that we have true leadership and make sure that we are making our schools safe."

Speaking Wednesday afternoon during a coronavirus briefing with the press, Justice and Burch both dismissed the concerns of Albert and Salango as politics. Justice and Burch said there is plenty of funding and supplies available for any school that feels they don't have enough masks, gloves, and other equipment. Burch said they have found some gaps, but those issues are being addressed due to open communication.

"Every West Virginian is way smart to see the rumblings of a political situation going on. That's all this is," Justice said. "This state and this Department of Education have the money to do whatever we need to do to make the schools safe as we can possibly make them. We've got the money."

"I've been clear to the governor and others that I will not get caught up in the political nonsense," Burch said. "I will tell you there is a little bit of a frustration when I continue to hear folks go on and publicly continue to say our teachers and schools aren't ready, and that happened today. I am personally frustrated because I had a conversation with Fred Albert yesterday, but to say our teachers are not prepared is just completely false."

Justice Wednesday said two schools had outbreaks among staff: two teachers in Mason County at Point Pleasant Primary School, with school postponed until Sept. 17, and five staff in Mingo County at Mingo Central High School. Burch praised the health departments of both counties.

"You did an outstanding job doing your investigations, your tracing, and working with the superintendents," Burch said.

Burch said all county plans and protocols for confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases can be found at the Department of Education's website at wvde.us. County superintendents held a virtual briefing with Justice last Friday to discuss concerns and needs.

"I can't thank our superintendents and principals enough, but I'm going to say this: they've got to be diligent," Burch said. "The rules that we put in place are the rules. The color-coded system we're looking to indicates when masks need to be worn more frequently. We've got to have all of our leaders insisting that these children follow the rules and stay safe. The schools are a reflection of the community."

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadamas@newsandsentinel.com.

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