Article by David Beard, Dominion Post
Charleston, West Virginia — The House Education Committee introduced adjusted versions of two Senate bills Friday. One is about the American motto and the other is about enabling the education of intelligent design. Delegates also passed a House bill cracking down on drunk bus drivers.
SB 152, introduced by the Senate, would require any public elementary school, middle school, or institution of higher education to prominently display a poster or framed copy of the national motto, “In God We Trust,” in each classroom. It is mandatory to do so. Framed copies were donated or purchased with private funds and made available to schools. Posters and copy will also feature images of the United States and state flags below the motto. No other words or information are included.
The House Education Edition specifies that the poster or framed copy must be 8.5 by 11 inches, and the representation of the American flag must be centered below the motto. Remove the state flag from the image.
For higher education institutions, compulsory placement is limited to the institution's “main building,” leaving the choice to each institution, and placement in other buildings is permitted on a voluntary basis.
Representative Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, fully agrees with this motto, but also agrees with the Establishment of Religion Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which would give priority to one religion over another in the public sphere. He said that there is a possibility that this could violate the same article. For example, Judaism does not spell out God's name and considers the act disrespectful.
Rep. Rick Griffith (D-Wayne) said such bills can be politically expedient and said he would like to see Congress enshrine love and respect for the Bible in all state laws. He supported this idea with some reservations.
The committee approved the bill by voice vote, with only Pushkin audibly dissenting. It is located next to the House Judiciary. A version of the bill passed the Senate unanimously last year, passed the House Education, but died in the House Judiciary.
SB 280 is an intelligent design bill. This is one sentence long and House Education changed his one word.
The Senate version states, “Public school boards, superintendents, and principals must ensure that public school classroom teachers do not discuss scientific theories about how the universe or life came to exist or answer questions from students.'' “No person shall be prohibited from doing anything.''
The Committee changed “shall” to “may.”
Pushkin proposed an unsuccessful amendment to add history and social studies education to the bill along with scientific theory.
After the rejection, but before the vote, Pushkin said he agreed with the essence of the bill: teachers should be able to teach and students should be able to ask questions they like.
He noted that in 2022 voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have made the rules and policies of the State Board of Education subject to legislative review, and that the bill is being challenged in court as overstepping its legislative authority. He pointed out that there is a possibility of receiving it.
No one votes against it in the voice vote, and it then goes to the judiciary.
HB 5597 is a bill for bus drivers.
According to the law, a school bus driver who is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or drugs while a student is on the school bus may not be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or a drug while a student is on the school bus. He will also be charged with endangerment.
Lead sponsor Heather Talley (R-Nicolas) said the bill would help the county, where a driver downed six beers one afternoon before driving a bus full of 50 children. He said it was born out of the incident.
According to news reports in March 2023, witnesses saw the bus swerve erratically and almost collide. There were no students on the bus when the driver was arrested and charged with misdemeanor DUI. He failed a breathalyzer test and gassed .118 on his breathalyzer. The legal limit is 0.08. He was fired at the end of that month.
The school district contacted local lawmakers after the incident and stated that misdemeanor charges were inappropriate given the danger the driver posed.
Talley said the improper results leave open the question of whether the driver will end up driving for some other school system.
The bill “sends a serious message that we are serious about protecting our students and children,” she said.
The voice vote was unanimous and was also submitted to the judiciary.
