West Virginia Watch

West Virginia lawmakers are trying again this year to address worsening elementary student behavior that has interrupted classroom instruction time and put some teachers in danger. The Republican-backed measure, which the House Education Committee vetted Monday, outlines a protocol for elementary educators to remove disruptive or violent students. It doesn’t come with any mental health support for children, some as young as 5 years old — an issue for educators who spoke with lawmakers on Monday. Fewer than half of the counties don’t have alternative learning centers for children who may be removed from school. “We have to find an answer,” said Del. Joe Statler, R-Monongalia. “We cannot simply stop all other education values that are going in that classroom because of one or two students.”