Multiple West Virginia private schools are opening their doors to students this week, despite the state's COVID-19 education guidelines.
In Kanawha County, kids could be seen walking into Bible Center School in Charleston. Mountaineer Montessori School is also conducting in-person learning.
"We think this is really poor public policy, particularly today,” said Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Chief of Staff John Law. “We have 746 active cases in Kanawha County this morning. That's the largest number we have ever had."
Their reasons vary. In a statement (attached below), Bible Center said education is an important priority, and its decision "strikes a balance between the needs of today and beyond."
Mountaineer Montessori said in this statement it has been open since June 15 operating under a critical child care site license.
Law said the schools shouldn't be teaching in person at all.
"We'd certainly like to see these schools discontinue on campus classes,” Law said. “There are viable solutions for people to do things virtually."
In Putnam County, also orange, Calvary Baptist Academy also began this week. In a statement (attached below), the academy said it believes its decision is best for students and their families.
Monday Gov. Jim Justice said he disagrees with the schools' decisions.
"I don't think they ought to be doing what they're doing,” Justice said. “I think it's a shame they're doing what they're doing. They're deciding against the knowledge of all the health community, especially in Kanawha County, where we've got a real problem."
Despite these schools breaking the state's rules, Justice isn't going to use force right away.
"From the standpoint of going down there and sending the State Police down there and everything and trying to get it straightened out that way, we're not going to go that way in the beginning. We're going to try to go a way where we talk and we try to persuade, and we just step back and evaluate," Justice said.