Stoppages, walkouts by teachers would have some penalties
By David Beard, The Dominion Post
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Senate Education Committee approved a bill Tuesday to reaffirm that work stoppages and strikes by teachers and school staff are illegal, and outline some penalties for participating in stoppages.
SB 11 is a response to the teacher and staff walkouts of 2017 and 2018. The bill contains findings reiterating state code that says public employees may not participate in work stoppages or strikes.
County boards may not permit employees who participate to use accrued and equivalent instructional time to cancel days lost. Also, delivery of instruction through alternative methods do not apply and may not be used to cancel days lost.
The state Board of Education may not grant waivers to county boards for not meeting the 200-day minimum employment term or the 180-day instructional term if noncompliance results from a work stoppage or strike.
If an employee remains employed by a county board despite participating in an activity the state BOE determines to be grounds for termination, the county board must withhold that person’s pay for each day of participation…
