PROPOSALS DRAW FIRE Tomblin's Education Proposals Draw Strong Opposition From School Employee Group
Reported by: Associated Press
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Reported: Mar. 5, 2013 3:53 PM EST
Eyewitness News Photo
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
West Virginia's largest school employee organization is blasting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's education proposal as mostly short-sighted and contradictory.
President Judy Hale of the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia weighed in on the legislation Tuesday before the Senate Education Committee.
Hale praised several parts of Tomblin's bill. Those include expanding pre-kindergarten statewide, forgiving college loans for teachers and paying for the renewal of their national certification.
But Hale said no evidence supports Tomblin's proposed changes to teacher hiring and transfers. She contrasted the bill's push for improved reading education with its offer of teaching licenses to those without relevant degrees.
Hale also questioned why the bill tries to ensure 180 days of school instruction each year, but then counts toward that time any days spent at athletic tournaments or playoffs.
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