At its regular meeting on Thursday, October 20, 2022, the Roane County Board of Education adopted a resolution expressing the Board's lack of support for "Amendment 4," also known as the Education Accountability Amendment.
West Virginia voters will consider whether or not to approve the amendment on the November 2022 general election ballot.
The text of the resolution is below:
"During the 2022 General Election, West Virginians will be asked to vote on Amendment 2, which would bring substantial changes to West Virginia's Constitution. It is not the place of the Roane County Board of Education (RCBOE) to tell registered voters how to vote on this issue. However, the RCBOE has a duty, pursuant to Article XII, Sections 1-3, and § 18-5-1, of the West Virginia State Code to supervise and control the operation of each county school district and maintain a thorough and efficient system of free schools. Therefore, RCBOE believes it crucial to inform the public of the impact that Amendment 4 could have on the public education system in Roane County:
WHEREAS, the Roane County Board of Education finds that education decisions are best left to experts and professionals in the education field. Amendment 4 has the potential to take important decisions about our local schools away from these experts, teachers, service personnel, parents, and local school boards who all work together to make the best possible decisions about how to provide a high-quality education for our kids; and,
WHEREAS, the State Board of Education was created as a non-partisan governing body for our schools separate of the political process, and, as such, our students should be provided a quality education that prepares them for the future in an environment that is safe and free of political agendas; and,
WHEREAS, the Roane County Board of Education finds Amendment 4 eliminates local control and transfers to the West Virginia Legislature important decision-making abilities best handled by local school districts and local governments with a duty to serve their citizens and their communities.
NOW, THEREFORE be it resolved the Roane County Board of Education, finds that this is not a political issue, but an operation and safety issue that directly affects our ability to provide a safe thorough and efficient system of free schools, thus, the Roane County Board of Education cannot offer support for Amendment 4."