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News / Nation & World

Back to school: West Virginia teachers return to classroom

By JOHN RABY, Associated Press
Published: March 7, 2018, 11:05am
5 Photos
Students have breakfast at Stonewall Jackson Middle School on Wednesday in Charleston, W.Va. West Virginia’s teachers and students are reuniting in their classrooms after a walkout that closed schools statewide. State teachers celebrated on Tuesday as they won a 5 percent salary increase.
Students have breakfast at Stonewall Jackson Middle School on Wednesday in Charleston, W.Va. West Virginia’s teachers and students are reuniting in their classrooms after a walkout that closed schools statewide. State teachers celebrated on Tuesday as they won a 5 percent salary increase. (AP Photo/Robert Ray) Photo Gallery

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — At Stonewall Jackson Middle School in West Virginia, students filed past a sign that read: “Welcome back, let’s roll.”

It’s been nine school days without class. Students returned Wednesday to Stonewall Jackson and other schools across West Virginia, a day after the state’s teachers wangled a 5 percent pay increase from their elected leaders. Their victory came after walking off the job in all 55 counties of this poor Appalachian mountain state to protest some of the lowest pay for their profession in the country.

Stonewall Jackson teacher Hannah Silverman said she was “pumped” to be back at work.

“I was like a kid on the first day of school last night, I literally couldn’t sleep,” Silverman said. “So, I was really excited, this is my passion. I want to be here and I’ve been excited since we found out yesterday.”

Despite losing the school days, the teachers had support from parents and students. Never mind the difficulties some parents had arranging for child care and finding activities for their idle children.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has asked county superintendents to be flexible as they decide how to meet the requirement of having 180 days of school He wants families to have time for vacation and doesn’t want summer feeding programs placed in jeopardy if classes go too far into June.

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