On Monday night the Wetzel County Board of Education was met with a crowded room of parents, teachers, and students wishing to voice their concerns once again over recent decisions made by the board, primarily over two issues. Those issues are the revised county policy GCBD regarding paid leave which was adopted following the approval of its second reading during the meeting despite objections re-addressed by teachers and the board’s recent approval to drop a full-time aide position in Hundred High School to half-time.

Josh Weekley, WVEA building representative at Valley High School, addressed the board once more regarding the revised paid leave policy which was planned to go into effect following the board’s approval of the policy’s second reading. In December, Weekley submitted a letter to the board at that time outlining concerns of the proposed changes to the policy.

“In December, I was very encouraged that the policy had been placed on the table and a board member suggested forming a committee to form a better policy revision that would alleviate all concerns,” Weekley began. “Unfortunately, no committee was formed and nearly the same policy is being considered again.”

Weekley then went on to outline once again the concerns he and several other employees have on the policy changes, most notably that employees are very concerned about the section in the policy titled “Physician’s Written Verification of Illness.” Weekley stated that after researching similar policies of neighboring counties and the West Virginia State Personnel Benefits Summary, it was “apparent that our policy would be much more stringent,” explaining that other summaries do not mention the “nature of illness or injury” be included on any physician statement when an employee is needed to justify sick leave.

Furthermore, he quoted West Virginia Code which says, “The county board may establish reasonable rules for reporting and verification of absences for cause.” To this, Weekley told the board that many illnesses may not always require medical attention. “Should not the visitation of a professionally licensed medical professional suffice verification of absence?”

Similarly, many are concerned with where such medical statements will be stored and who would have access to information that may potentially state an employee has a disease.

Weekley also stated that other county policies make no distinction that sick leave may not be used for routine medical appointments, as Wetzel County’s policy states. “If an employee in good health rarely misses school, should they not be able to take the first available appointment date for a routine check-up to continue their record of good health?” Weekley questioned. “Certainly an employee can take a No Cause Day to do this, but an honest employee who does not take Sick Leave for vacation may wish to use a No Cause Day for a more enjoyable experience than a mammogram, colonoscopy, or other routine appointment. Early detection is a major factor in beating cancer and I would like to think that an employee would have no reason to put these appointments off regardless of convenience to save a No Cause Day.”

As was suggested at the first meeting regarding the policy, Weekley again asked why the board couldn’t just create a Paid Leave Performance Plan for employees abusing the system, or at the least have the problems of Paid Leave abuse be specifically addressed to those who are abusing it.

“Each action taken to strip away benefits can potentially steer new teachers to a different county or state where they will receive better pay or more benefits,” Weekley warned the board. “We are entrusted with our most valuable resource-our children. If we are entrusted with our children’s future, why then can we not be trusted with our Paid Leave?”

With that, Weekley asked the board to table the motion once more and refer it to a committee. However, Board Member Willie Baker retorted, “We are entrusted with making the decision. Not a committee.”

Elliott Kendle, teacher and LSIC president at Paden City Elementary, also presented a letter to the board asking for reconsideration of the policy. He was also taken aback that the board did not form a committee following the arguments made to the board at the December meeting. “The thought behind this suggestion was that given the level of opposition, this would be a way to craft a policy that was acceptable to all,” he began.

“In December, I left the meeting in which the policy was tabled thinking we were in a position to make progress and, in a sense, we have with the addition of the Absence Incentive Policy, but I cannot help but wonder-what happened to our other concerns?” Kendle inquired.

Kendle was particularly concerned by the citation of West Virginia Code which regarded the failure to follow-up on an emergency dock day within 48 hours. Kendle explained that portion of the code deals with the suspension and dismissal of school personnel. Furthermore, the section reads, “shall be considered insubordination.” To Kendle, that phrasing leaves no “latitude for special cases where the individual is unable to report.”

“If a family member is laying in a hospital for over two days in critical condition, the last thing on my mind is going to be taking care of a dock day,” Kendle affirmed. “There is a big difference between the use of the word ‘shall’ and the word ‘may.'”

“Insubordination is one of the reasons cited as grounds for suspension or dismissal,” he said. “Is missing a deadline such as this something that would warrant dismissal?” In Kendle’s opinion, the intent of the policy is “not clear on the issue and, as such, much too open to interpretation.”

“We truly care about our jobs and often go to great lengths to do our job and to be at work,” Kendle lamented. “I have seen teachers and service personnel on crutches, in wheelchairs, and in all manner of braces and casts. I know of others who went to work with pneumonia, with blood clots, and other serious noncontagious illnesses. We do understand the need for such a policy and the board’s interest in this matter. We just don’t believe that this policy represents the best way to deal with this issue.”

Board Member Linda Ritz noted that the very people who need to adhere to the new policy were not in the room. “You’re offended by insinuations that you aren’t good teachers,” she acknowledged. “As far as I see it, the rules have to be made and we have to have something to stand on.” She went on to say she sympathized with Kendle, but they “have to have the same rules for everyone.”

Newly-appointed member James “Cork” Bowen defended Watt by saying the revised policy was another “tool for her tool kit” to help keep the absence level down. “There was a lot of thought and study before coming here tonight,” Bowen added.

“A lot of money is going to subs,” added Ritz. “That money could be used to keep extra service personnel in the system,” noted Board Vice President Bob Patterson.

Watt then spoke to Kendle regarding his worry over insubordination, saying that in fact when an employee is suspected of an indiscretion, that individual has the opportunity to explain his or herself. “There’s a progressive discipline,” she underlined. “We’re talking about those who have a pattern of calling off sick,” said Watt as she explained that in such a case the board is able to refer to the policy and that only when there is a trend of problems would an employee be asked to provide a doctor’s slip.

Also at the board meeting held Monday night many guests were in attendance to further their concerns with the full-time aide position being changed to half-time status at HHS. Following a lengthy open hearing on Feb. 23, Angela Greathouse, a full-time aide at HHS, was among several others to have their positions re-assigned or terminated in efforts to keep a balanced budget.

Sandra McBee was the first to address the board Monday night, saying that after hearing the news, she was compelled to do something. She rounded up petitions in the area, garnering 578 signatures which she gave to the board in hopes they would rescind their decision to cut Greathouse’s full-time aide position at the school to half-time.

Abby Tennant, an aide at the school, also spoke to the board on the issue. “It’s not that we need to keep Angie Greathouse,” she clarified. “It’s that we need to keep the position.” Tennant strongly believed the students taking the online courses needed a full-time aide to assist in the curriculum and technology, stating that the students’ GPA’s could be compromised if there is a computer glitch and no one is available to help. “Our students are going to be the ones to suffer from this,” she resolved. “Find a way to get the money in the budget.”

Tennant went on to say she had known of similar instances where a position was cut but then before long it was determined that was a mistake. Furthermore, she attested that most of the teachers already go above and beyond their job duties and it would be too difficult to stretch them any thinner. “We need a full-time aide,” Tennant stressed.

“Please give this consideration,” she continued, noting that those 578 signatures represent people in the community knowing the students need the full-time position.

Upon Baker’s request, Treasurer Jeff Lancaster reiterated the state’s funding formula to those in attendance. According to that formula Wetzel County is $1.5 million over budget, Lancaster said. “So we have to prioritize what we can do with that $1.5 million.”

Additionally, Lancaster shared that he did a study two years ago on the number of personnel the county has over the formula compared to other counties in the state. “Pound by pound, based on our enrollment, we are the eighth highest over the formula in the state,” he said, adding the board didn’t make very many cuts last year. “We’ve been able to buy some time with stimulus packages, but that money runs out in June. We are faced with a situation.”

Tennant then took a “shot in the dark” as she put it, and addressed the rumor that Superintendent Diane Watt was “brought here to consolidate our schools.” Board President Mike Blair swiftly replied, “Cuts are required because we’re keeping four high schools. She (Watt) wasn’t hired for school consolidation.

“There’s no plan for school consolidation,” Blair stressed. “We have to act because we are required to act. Remember that what we do, we do to keep four schools.”

Later on during the meeting Bowen wished to extend his appreciation to the people of Hundred who “made a great message to us about the position.”

“I would ask my colleagues to find a way to continue to hopefully fund that full position by the next school year. That is a success story for Hundred and I think it helps the kids immensely.”

“It seems like we don’t care about people, but we do,” Baker added. “We will try to do what we can do to preserve that. But we might not be able to.”