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Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate passes bills limiting cell phones in schools, plowing roads in Mon and Preston
Apr. 9—MORGANTOWN — The state Senate on Wednesday passed bills launching a pilot project to plow secondary roads in Monongalia and Preston counties, and to limit student cell phone use in public schools. HB 2960 is the plowing bill. It says, "Snow removal on the secondary roads in Monongalia County and Preston County has not been dependable, providing a hardship on the citizens of West Virginia." It establishes a two-year pilot project to put out a Request for Proposal for vendors to provide snow removal for District 4's secondary roads in Monongalia and Preston counties. The Division of Highways will identify the roads to be plowed. The DOH can terminate a contract, with 30 days' notice, for substandard or unsatisfactory work. It passed 34-0 and returns to the House for amendment concurrence. HB 2003 is the cell phone bill. It opens with a statement: "Personal electronic devices contribute to a negative classroom environment with increased concerns relating to distractions, academic misconduct, bullying and /or harassment and other inappropriate behaviors. Concerns regarding the mental health of students with unfettered access to personal electronic devices are well-documented and are believed to prohibit the age-appropriate development of relationships, study skills, and other necessary skills to be successful." It requires county school boards to establish policies for permitting, or not permitting, personal electronic devices on school property. If permitted, the board will set parameters for use and for storage during instructional hours. It includes exceptions for medical issues and for students with Individualized Education Programs. It also requires school boards to establish consequences for violations, including confiscation and ongoing prohibition from possession on campus. Education chair Amy Grady, R-Mason, said she was originally ambivalent about the bill, but then read a book called "The Anxious Generation " and spoke with its author and researcher. Cell phones on campus, she said, has exacerbated the problem of cyberbullying, essentially allowing it to occur all day long. The bill will give kids a gives a break from cyberbullying during school hours, along with negative impacts of social media. Before learning about that, she said, "I felt it was micromanaging." That it was the teacher's and principal's job to manage cell phone possession and use. But states with bans and limitations have seen improvements in academics and overall. The vote was 33-1, with Sen. Mike Oliverio, R-Monongalia, the sole vote against. It returns to the House for amendment concurrence. Squatter bill The Senate also passed the Stop Squatters Act, HB 2434. It says a squatter is a person occupying a dwelling or other structure who is not so entitled under a rental agreement or is not authorized to do so by the tenant or owner. It allows a property owner or their authorized agent request law enforcement to undertake the immediate removal of the squatter, under specified conditions. Upon receipt of a complaint, law-enforcement will conduct preliminary fact-finding, which may include reviewing any alleged lease agreement, talking to neighbors, and other relevant inquiries to ascertain the validity of the complaint. The law-enforcement agency is entitled to a fee for service. The bill establishes the crime of criminal mischief for causing damages, with misdemeanor and felony penalties depending on the value of the damages. It also sets criminal penalties for selling real property without authorization and for advertising property for sale or rent without authorization. The vote was 31-0 and it returns to the House for amendment concurrence.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WV Senate passes elementary student discipline bill, state teachers union calls measure ‘great step'
Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason, speaks on the Senate floor in Charleston, March 10, 2025. (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography) The West Virginia Senate unanimously signed off on a high-profile education bill that would give elementary teachers more authority to remove disruptive or violent students from their classroom. The measure would also mandate that school counselors and social workers work to determine any underlying cause of the child's behavior. Many educators have tied children's dangerous behavior or outbursts — occurring frequently in kindergarten classrooms — to the state's ongoing substance abuse crisis and high rate of kids in foster care. Katherine Skidmore, president of American Federation of Teachers in West Virginia, said it was 'encouraging to see the legislative interest in addressing the root causes of this disruptive behavior.' Addressing student discipline has been a top ask from teachers across the state as they say student behavior is worsening and data shows suspensions are increasing. Some lawmakers have said they must address the issue to protect teachers and boost the state's struggling test scores. The bill is the brain child of Sen. Amy Grady, an elementary school teacher, who last year sponsored a similar measure that failed to pass in the final hours of the 2024 Legislative Session. 'I worked really hard on that bill. I was upset that it didn't pass,' said Grady, R-Mason. 'But, then, hindsight is 20/20, here we are, and this is much better. It gives a little more clarification in what we need to do with students in particular situations. It's not a cookie cutter approach.' The measure, Senate Bill 199, would permit teachers in kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms to remove students who are violent, threatening or intimidating toward staff or peers or students' whose behavior is impeding on other students' ability to learn. The removed student would be referred to a school counselor, social worker or behavioral interventionist to determine if there's an underlying cause of the student's behavior. Staff would be required to create a behavioral plan for the student for a two-week period. If the student is not making progress, then the behavioral plan could be changed and enacted for another two weeks. 'It kind of individualizes what they need before we move forward,' said Grady, who worked with the state Department of Education on the legislation. Not every school has a full-time counselor or social worker, but Grady, who worked with the state Department of Education on the legislation, felt confident that schools would be able to carry out the bill's requirements by utilizing staff from central offices or state social workers when foster children are involved. Removed elementary students would return to school on a provisional basis for five to 10 days. If another incident occurs in that time frame, the child would be subject to expulsion, including being placed in an alternative learning center. Additionally, if students are removed from a classroom for disruptive or violent behaviors a total of three times in one month, the student would be subject to in- or out-of-school suspension or to be placed in alternative learning centers or with a licensed behavioral health agency if one is available within the school district. Fewer than half of the state's 55 counties have alternate learning centers, and critics of the measure have said that it could result in too many children forced to learn through virtual school. The House of Delegates approved its version of an elementary school discipline measure March 3. Grady is hopeful House members will accept her legislation, which made minor tweaks to their bill, including that a child's disruptive or violent behavior would have to occur more than once before expulsion. 'I'm very hopeful that it will be fine,' Grady said. Skidmore said it was 'great to have both chambers focusing on student behavior.' 'While no bill is perfect, these bills are a great step in the right direction,' she said. 'Hopefully the two chambers can come together to pass a version that addresses the behavioral issues disrupting our classes and provides the mental health resources and funding needed for these students.' If the House accepts Grady's version of the bill, the measure would next go to the governor's desk for approval. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WV Senate passes elementary student discipline bill, state teachers union calls measure ‘great step'
Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason, speaks on the Senate floor in Charleston, March 10, 2025. (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography) The West Virginia Senate unanimously signed off on a high-profile education bill that would give elementary teachers more authority to remove disruptive or violent students from their classroom. The measure would also mandate that school counselors and social workers work to determine any underlying cause of the child's behavior. Many educators have tied children's dangerous behavior or outbursts — occurring frequently in kindergarten classrooms — to the state's ongoing substance abuse crisis and high rate of kids in foster care. Katherine Skidmore, president of American Federation of Teachers in West Virginia, said it was 'encouraging to see the legislative interest in addressing the root causes of this disruptive behavior.' Addressing student discipline has been a top ask from teachers across the state as they say student behavior is worsening and data shows suspensions are increasing. Some lawmakers have said they must address the issue to protect teachers and boost the state's struggling test scores. The bill is the brain child of Sen. Amy Grady, an elementary school teacher, who last year sponsored a similar measure that failed to pass in the final hours of the 2024 Legislative Session. 'I worked really hard on that bill. I was upset that it didn't pass,' said Grady, R-Mason. 'But, then, hindsight is 20/20, here we are, and this is much better. It gives a little more clarification in what we need to do with students in particular situations. It's not a cookie cutter approach.' The measure, Senate Bill 199, would permit teachers in kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms to remove students who are violent, threatening or intimidating toward staff or peers or students' whose behavior is impeding on other students' ability to learn. The removed student would be referred to a school counselor, social worker or behavioral interventionist to determine if there's an underlying cause of the student's behavior. Staff would be required to create a behavioral plan for the student for a two-week period. If the student is not making progress, then the behavioral plan could be changed and enacted for another two weeks. 'It kind of individualizes what they need before we move forward,' said Grady, who worked with the state Department of Education on the legislation. Not every school has a full-time counselor or social worker, but Grady, who worked with the state Department of Education on the legislation, felt confident that schools would be able to carry out the bill's requirements by utilizing staff from central offices or state social workers when foster children are involved. Removed elementary students would return to school on a provisional basis for five to 10 days. If another incident occurs in that time frame, the child would be subject to expulsion, including being placed in an alternative learning center. Additionally, if students are removed from a classroom for disruptive or violent behaviors a total of three times in one month, the student would be subject to in- or out-of-school suspension or to be placed in alternative learning centers or with a licensed behavioral health agency if one is available within the school district. Fewer than half of the state's 55 counties have alternate learning centers, and critics of the measure have said that it could result in too many children forced to learn through virtual school. The House of Delegates approved its version of an elementary school discipline measure March 3. Grady is hopeful House members will accept her legislation, which made minor tweaks to their bill, including that a child's disruptive or violent behavior would have to occur more than once before expulsion. 'I'm very hopeful that it will be fine,' Grady said. Skidmore said it was 'great to have both chambers focusing on student behavior.' 'While no bill is perfect, these bills are a great step in the right direction,' she said. 'Hopefully the two chambers can come together to pass a version that addresses the behavioral issues disrupting our classes and provides the mental health resources and funding needed for these students.' If the House accepts Grady's version of the bill, the measure would next go to the governor's desk for approval. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
