March 05, 2018

Manchin Calls on WV Senate Republicans to End Teacher Strike

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) released the following statement urging the West Virginia Senate Republicans to end the state-wide teacher strike and send West Virginia teachers and students back to school.

“It is time to get our kids back to school, and the only group standing in the way is Senate Republicans. Everyone else agrees on the deal to reopen our schools – a bipartisan coalition of educators, parents, Democrat and Republican House Legislators, and the Governor. But for some reason, Senate Republicans are choosing to keep our schools closed and kids at home over one percent. West Virginia families deserve better. When I visited with educators two weeks ago at the state capitol, they told me they want to be back in their classrooms.

“I’ve seen this dysfunction in Washington. Sadly, just like in Washington, it looks like political gamesmanship is winning the day and preventing a bipartisan compromise led by the Governor to help our educators and public employees, fix our PEIA system and get students learning again from becoming law. I urge the Senate Republican leadership to stop playing games and send our kids back to school.”

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