CHARLESTON, W.Va. – During today’s State Board of Education meeting, WVEA President Dale Lee made the following remarks about educators’ mental health and substitute shortage across the state.

President Lee told the Board, while visiting our public schools over the past several weeks, he saw firsthand how hard our educators are working. “Educators are true heroes,” said Lee. President Lee also shared about the mental and emotional stress he had seen not only in our students, but in our educators. “With a high number of vacancies and the substitute shortage, our educators are exhausted. Teachers are covering other classes, bus drivers are making extra runs, cooks and custodians are shorthanded,” said Lee. The substitute shortage has become an increasing problem around the state, which is why President Lee will work with the state Department and Board to come up with better solutions.

Moreover, Lee acknowledged the state Department has been working with counties to be creative in giving mental health days. “We must urge all counties to recognize the hard work and stress by providing a mental health day in December,” said Lee.

#IamWVEA #ForOurStudents