CHARLESTON, W.Va. – WVEA President Dale Lee spoke today at the West Virginia Board of Education Meeting about back-to-school concerns. “What I see is the excitement of our educators, teachers, cooks, bus drivers, custodians, aides, and the excitement of our students. I also see fear. Last year, we had 1,705 positions that did not have a certified teacher in them and that number could increase even more this year. That is a concern,” said WVEA President Lee.

Another fear is the report on the number of suspensions. WVEA President Lee mentioned that there is a program the state department has and will give to the counties this year. He continued, “But there is more we can do. We must reach students in their current circumstances while acknowledging the many challenges they face. We have the highest opioid addiction, the largest number of students raised by grandparents or other people besides their own parents, and an increasing homeless population. We need to figure out how to help these kids and help educators solve the problems. We are more than happy to come to the table and do that.”