EDUCATION REFORM PASSES House Overwhelmingly Approves Governor's Plan
Reported by: Kennie Bass
Videographer: John Tincher, Matt Durrett
Web Producer: Kennie Bass
Reported: Mar. 22, 2013 6:07 PM EDT
Updated: Mar. 22, 2013 10:44 PM EDT
EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO C L I C K T O P L A Y
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
West Virginia will soon change the way county school districts hire teachers and set annual calendars.
But a day after House Democrats rejected GOP efforts to amend the governor's education reform bill, the debate continued.
"We are voting on something that isn't nearly as strong as what was introduced to us about a month ago," Del. John McCuskey, R-Kanawha, said. "There are still major holes in our education system and each of these deficiencies hurts our kids. This is the result of the nature of compromise, which in the political system in the educational arena means kids lose."
"That is a good, solid piece of legislation way beyond what we have now, and a wonderful place that we can build upon as a building block in the future," House Majority Leader Brent Boggs, D-Braxton, said.
Many Republicans said they would reluctantly support the measure, while criticizing its shortfalls and the way it was negotiated before it ever made it to the chamber.
"I regrettably support this bill, but note that it's my opinion that it won't make any significant impact into the promise the state has made for high quality education that's delivered to our citizens," Del. Joe Ellington, R-Mercer, said.
"For anybody to accuse that as backroom deals of smoke filled rooms, it's just wrong," Del. Mike Caputo, D-Marion said. "The process was excellent and that's why we have this piece of legislation that we have today."
Finally, the time for talking was over and the measure easily passed 97-2.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin focused on public schools after an audit found big taxpayer spending wasn't translating into student achievement.
The bill will now go to Tomblin for his signature.
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Kennie Bass
