Public Comments

I oppose HB 4185, which repeals West Virginia’s machine gun ban and makes it lawful to possess fully automatic weapons. The right to own firearms does not erase the public’s right to live, work, and learn without constant fear of gun violence. When the state removes basic limits on the most lethal weapons, it minimizes responsible gun ownership while increasing kids, teachers, health workers, and bystanders risk of gun violence.

I oppose HB 4143, the so‑called “Women’s Bill of Rights.” As a woman and a voter, I see this bill not as a protection, but as a weaponization of my identity to target transgender and nonbinary people and to narrow who “counts” as a woman in West Virginia.

West Virginia is struggling with serious problems: poor educational outcomes, high burdens of chronic disease, and persistent economic hardship for families. Yet another culture war bill just wasted legislative time and taxpayer money rather than solving these real crises. It's actually an insult to the women this bill claims to honor. We deserve policies that expand our rights and opportunities, not bills that erase our neighbors and divide our communities.

If the WV legislature is serious about the issues that affect women on a daily basis, how about addressing equal pay, improving maternal health care, protecting women from violence, or improving women's economic security? That would give women real rights and dignity!

I urge you to reject HB 4143 and commit to legislation that materially improves the lives of all women and gender‑diverse people in our state.

I oppose HB 4079 which aims to ban so-called “woke words” from government communications. As a woman, I find this bill deeply misguided for several reasons.

First, implies that women’s worth depends on motherhood, which erases the many women who contribute to West Virginia’s communities in other ways. Real respect for women means seeing and valuing us all.

Second, our state ranks 45th nationally in education and struggles with some of the highest rates of chronic disease and cardiovascular illness in the nation. It is absurd to spend taxpayer money and waste legislative time on policing words when you have much more serious challenges to address. Legislators should be focused on boosting literacy, keeping schools and hospitals strong, and addressing preventable disease rather than dictating which medically accurate or inclusive terms are “acceptable.”

Finally, as a public health professional, I know that inclusive language costs nothing, helps everyone feel respected and seen, which leads to more health-seeking behaviors and better health outcomes.

Instead of wasting limited public resources on a culture-war bill, we should invest in improving education, health, and opportunity in West Virginia. Tackle real problems head-on; don't distract us with word bans.

• The new section §16-11A-1 makes it a felony “to attend any public-school function or attend or participate in public school or athletic events in any capacity, regardless of participation by offender’s own children” for those required to register on the WV “sex offender registry.”
  • It is restrictive and inclusive to registrants on the “sex offender registry” only, while allowing all other “Central Abuse Registry” registrants with misdemeanor or felony offenses constituting child abuse or neglect, free to attend school events, as well as all other persons with past convictions for murder, assault, etc.
  • It is broad in its language, prohibiting a total ban for said registrants without any exceptions, such as parent-teacher conferences, expulsion hearings, and reviews.
  • It is not based on any current disruptive behavior but rather past behavior/convictions that, in many cases, are decades old.
  • As written, it violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Plaintiff has a right to due process in any proceedings initiated by a governmental authority. ( in Supp. 4, ECF No. 7) In this case, no due process rights are afforded to registrants before they are banned from school property.
    • In Cole v. Montague Bd. of Educ., 145 Fed.Appx. 760, 762-63 (3d Cir. 2005) (citing Lovern, 190 F.3d at 648), the court “held that parent’s claim that prohibiting him from entering school property without a hearing violated due process.”
    • McNett v. Jefferson-Morgan Sch. Dist., 2:21-cv-01064-RJC, 12 (W.D. Pa. Nov. 23, 2021)established that plaintiffs have a due process claim on the basis that a school board defendant had violated their due process rights by banning the parents from a public school without a hearing and by refusing to accept a petition for a hearing. Again, no due process will be incorporated if HB 5020 is passed as written.
• Restricting persons from school property.
  • “School officials have the authority to control students and school personnel on school property, and also have the authority and responsibility for assuring that parents and third parties conduct themselves appropriately while on school property.” Lovern v. Edwards, 190 F.3d 648, 655 (4th Cir. 1999) (citing Carey v. Brown, 447 U.S. 455, 470-71 (1980); Goss v. Lopez, 419 U.S. 565, 582-83 (1975)).
  • “School officials are well within constitutional bounds in limiting access to school property where it is necessary to maintain tranquility.” Cunningham v. Lenape Reg'l High Dist. Bd. of Educ., 492 F.Supp.2d 439, 448-49(D.N.J. 2007).
• Requiring parent-teacher conferences to be off-school property
  • It is restrictive and inclusive to registrants on the “sex offender registry” only, while allowing all other “Central Abuse Registry” registrants with misdemeanor or felony offenses constituting child abuse or neglect, free to have parent-teacher conferences on school property.
  • It is overbroad and includes all “sex offender registry” registrants regardless of whether said registrant has a conviction for a minor-related offense, so why would they need to be restricted from school property?
  • It’s unnecessarily burdensome and inconvenient for teachers.
• Considering the above, it’s clear that HB 5020, written as a blanket ban without justification, reasoning, and, most notably, due process, is or will be found unconstitutional if passed.

I am the mother of a female high school senior on the wrestling team in Gilmer County. She is the sole female athlete on the team and has been wrestling since her Freshman year. While this bill will not benefit her before graduation, I feel that it is important for me to share this information with you all for future girls with her determination.

With the growing recognition of women in wrestling, West Virginia has the opportunity to be at the forefront of supporting female athletes, creating a space for them to shine and grow. Female wrestling in West Virginia offers a variety of benefits for participants and the broader community. Here are some key advantages:

1. Empowerment & Confidence Building

• Wrestling helps females build self-esteem and confidence by pushing physical and mental boundaries. The sport encourages perseverance, resilience, and the ability to overcome challenges, which are crucial life skills. My daughter has become a stronger athlete mentally since beginning her wrestling career. She sees that success comes from her strength and her perseverence rather than just from a team.

2. Physical Fitness & Health

• Wrestling is an intense full-body workout that improves strength, flexibility, cardiovascular health, and coordination. It encourages healthy habits and discipline, as athletes need to maintain fitness for competition. This has peaked my daughter's interest in the athletic training career field and is shaping the professional she will become after graduation.

3. Equality in Sports

• As female wrestling continues to grow, it offers an important platform for gender equality in sports. By having more opportunities for women to compete at a high level, it challenges traditional gender roles and promotes inclusivity.

4. Scholarship Opportunities

• Female athletes in wrestling may gain access to college scholarships, which can help further their education and future careers. Many WV colleges and universities, or nearby states, are expanding opportunities for female athletes in wrestling, and some even offer full-ride scholarships for top competitors. This is a huge opportunity for our youth, however not having full support from the state and WVSSAC will prohibit girls from rising to their full potentional and having access to those scholarships.

5. Community Engagement

• Women's sports help bring people together. As female wrestling grows in WV, it can create a sense of community, where families, friends, and local supporters rally around the athletes. This fosters stronger local ties and promotes support for women in sports.

6. Improved Mental Toughness

• Wrestling is not only physically demanding but also mentally challenging. Athletes must strategize, stay focused under pressure, and keep a positive mindset even when faced with adversity. These mental skills can be applied to many areas of life. My daughter has learned to have a better attitude both on and off of the mat because she is the one facing scrutiny, not a team of people. She has learned that it is tough to lose but how to remain humble and support her other female opponents.

7. Role Models for Future Generations

• As more women enter the wrestling world, they can become role models for young girls in the state who may not have considered wrestling as an option. Seeing strong, successful women in wrestling can inspire the next generation to pursue their own passions, regardless of gender.

8. Increased Interest in Women's Sports

• Female wrestling in West Virginia can contribute to a broader cultural shift toward recognizing and celebrating women's sports. This can lead to better media coverage, more sponsorships, and increased visibility for women athletes, not just in wrestling but in other sports as well.

9. Teamwork and Social Skills

• Even though wrestling is an individual sport, it often involves training in teams, where athletes learn to work together, motivate one another, and build camaraderie. This fosters strong interpersonal relationships and the ability to collaborate.

10. Breaking Stereotypes

• Wrestling is often seen as a male-dominated sport, so when women break through in this area, it challenges outdated gender norms. Female wrestlers show that women can excel in any sport and that strength, toughness, and athleticism aren’t defined by gender.

WV has seen the rise of more local and state-level competitions specifically for female wrestlers. The West Virginia State Wrestling Tournament now includes female divisions, providing athletes with a platform to showcase their talent and compete for state titles. This is an important milestone for the sport, as it validates the hard work and dedication of female athletes, my daughter included, and gives them a chance to compete at the highest level in their state.

We would hope that you would consider passing this bill and celebrating the accomplishments of female wrestlers across the state. Wrestling is not a sport specifically for boys just as cheer or volleyball is not solely for females. We hope to see this assist girls in West Virginia to knowing that they are stronger than they think and that they can do anything that they put thier minds to!

Dear Members of the Higher Education Subcommittee,

The West Virginia EMS Coalition represents ambulance agencies and all levels of EMS personnel in in the Mountain State. Our membership provides emergency response services in 51 out of the 55 counties and we are responsible for over 80% of all EMS responses in WV.

I feel like if there were cameras in the classrooms, it would be a good thing, so that if there was fhights, you can see who started it and get the best opinion on who is in the wrong. I feel like if there is camras in t eh class rooms, it would help subs and teachers if there are a lot of disruptions in the class, or like if there if there is a old sub or teachere who needs some help with kids who are being disrespecful then you are abel too look back at the camras and see who whos doing stuff to mess with people or who is disrupting the class. I feel like it would help the teachers give the right punishment to the people who are doing bad stuff in the classrooms, and if the teachers leave the room and nobody is in the room, you need somebody in there to make sure nobody is doing stuff when the teacher is not in the room.

I strongly oppose House Bill 4797.

The First Amendment belongs to everyone. It should never be used as a political prop or tied in state law to a single contemporary partisan figure. HB 4797 does not protect free speech. It uses government power to elevate and mandate praise for one political activist, including directing public schools to participate in that narrative.

Charlie Kirk has a well-documented public record of statements widely condemned as misogynistic, hostile to LGBTQ Americans, and dismissive of marginalized communities. Enshrining such a figure in statute dishonors West Virginia and sends a message that divisive and demeaning rhetoric is acceptable when it serves a political agenda.

This bill will deepen political division, invite constitutional challenges, and misuse the Legislature’s authority for ideological messaging instead of governing. West Virginians deserve laws that unite us and protect real freedoms—not culture-war symbolism written into statute.

I urge the Legislature to reject HB 4797.

I am a constituent in Beckley, Raleigh County, and I support HB 4095.

I do not support no-knock warrants in any capacity. To be clear, however, I know this legislative body will never agree with that, and this might be as good as it gets. When law enforcement enters a home without warning, the risk of confusion, injury, and death rises sharply for everyone involved, including residents and officers. No-knock tactics undermine public trust.

HB 4095 is an important step toward accountability by limiting qualified immunity when officers serving no-knock warrants use clearly excessive force, knowingly violate the law, or act in plainly incompetent, reckless, or negligent ways that cause injury, death, or psychological trauma.

I also support the bill's requirement that courts review not only the officer’s actions but also the agency’s training, mentoring, and procedures, and that the agency be held responsible if it failed to adequately prepare officers. That matters because harm does not come only from “one bad decision” in the moment. It can also come from systems that tolerate poor training, good-old-boy networks, weak oversight, and a culture of impunity.

West Virginians deserve safety without fear. When force is excessive or conduct is reckless or negligent, the system should have meaningful recourse, and government actors should not be shielded from accountability. HB 4095 moves us closer to public safety rooted in restraint, transparency, and responsibility.

Please support HB 4095.

I am a West Virginia constituent in Beckley, Raleigh County, and I am writing in support of HB 4185. This bill repeals W. Va. Code §61-7-9, removing the section of state code that currently makes it unlawful to possess a machine gun (a fully automatic weapon).

I support the Second Amendment as a practical, meaningful right. I see HB 4185 as a step toward aligning our state law with constitutional principles and restoring rights unnecessarily restricted.

Repealing this corrects what I believe is an overreach by the state and returns lawful adults to the full scope of their 2A rights.

I support HB 4185 because I want West Virginia to affirm that constitutional rights apply in full, not in fragments. Please vote YES on HB 4185

As a West Virginia constituent in Beckley, Raleigh County, I support HB 4449.

In too many communities, vulnerable students and the staff trying to protect them can get trapped in systems where harm is minimized, buried, or handled through relationships and politics rather than transparent accountability. When there is a credible allegation of bullying, abuse, neglect, or misconduct, families deserve a process that does not rely only on competing narratives and closed-door decision-making.

This bill offers a practical tool: documentation. Recordings can reduce coverups, deter misconduct, and make it harder for “good old boy” networks to protect bad behavior. When something serious happens, evidence can help investigations move faster and more fairly, and it can protect both students and employees from false accusations.

I also appreciate that the bill includes guardrails like confidentiality requirements and limits on using recordings for teacher evaluations. Used properly, this is not about punishing educators. It is about safety, accountability, and clarity when an incident is alleged.

Please vote to pass HB 4449 and continue strengthening oversight so that recordings support real protection for students and staff, not institutional self-protection.

I am a West Virginia constituent in Beckley, Raleigh County, and I support HB 4527 because it reduces everyday administrative burden and helps residents stay legally registered without unnecessary stress.

This bill directs the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles to create an opt-in system where vehicle owners can save billing information in a secure portal so registration renewals can occur automatically after the DMV receives confirmation that personal property taxes were paid. For working families, caregivers, rural residents, and people juggling multiple jobs or health issues, it’s easy to miss a deadline that has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with paperwork. This bill shrinks that gap.

The safeguards matter. The DMV must send notice two weeks before any charge, using the method the registrant chooses (text, email, or U.S. mail). Residents can change the billing date or payment method up to five days before the charge. That combination supports autonomy while still offering a smoother default path.

HB 4527 also improves coordination between counties and the DMV by requiring monthly reporting of paid personal property taxes and setting a timeline for the DMV to apply that information to accounts. And if a payment does not show up correctly, the bill requires a way to upload receipts or proof of payment (or bring them to a local office), which gives residents a practical correction route.

In short, HB 4527 modernizes a routine process, decreases accidental lapses, and respects residents’ time while keeping notice and control in the owner’s hands.

As a West Virginia constituent in Beckley, Raleigh County, I oppose HB 4583.

West Virginia schools and families are facing urgent, practical needs right now: staffing shortages, student mental health, attendance barriers, facility needs, and the everyday strain many households are carrying. This bill does not respond to those realities. Instead, it directs school time and state attention toward a symbolic political observance that is not rooted in West Virginia’s specific history or current priorities.

I support teaching accurate, evidence-based history, including the harms of authoritarian regimes across the world. But HB 4583 is not written as a balanced, academically grounded standard. It mandates a specific annual observance and a required lesson framed through a political lens, placing schools in the middle of culture-war messaging rather than education. When the Legislature tells educators what conclusions to emphasize, it risks turning learning into propaganda and undermining professional teaching standards.

Public education should build critical thinking skills, civic literacy, and the ability to evaluate power and policy using facts, context, and multiple perspectives. If the state is going to require additional instructional time, it should be for priorities that measurably benefit West Virginia students and strengthen public schools, not for a partisan signal that distracts from real work.

Please vote no on HB 4583 and focus legislative effort on policies that materially improve the lives, education, and well-being of West Virginians.

I am a West Virginian, and I am proud of my state and our values of independence, family, and community. I oppose this bill because it does not help anyone. It expands government power into private healthcare decisions, doing so with criminal penalties and lawsuits rather than real, tangible support.

This is government overreach, plain and simple. It will not solve the problems families are actually facing in West Virginia, such as access to health care led by health professionals (not legislators), transportation, childcare, and the cost of living. It will only add fear, confusion, and risk by pushing people into silence and delaying care.

West Virginians deserve practical solutions that strengthen families, not laws that punish people and invite more government control over personal medical decisions. I urge you to reject this bill.

Compose

Labels

• Point 1 (Local Impact): For example, this legislation would directly benefit our

• Point 2 (Facts/Data): Reports show that this approach leads to a more strategic and

This bill is idiotic.  I’m 1000% more concerned that the school provide an actual education.  Wv ranks where in education?  🙄

1. This bill is terrible for WV and local communities. Do not continue with this bill!

1. Specifying attached support rooms (sensory rooms, break rooms, focus rooms, etc) be included in the code.

1. Requiring county boards to maintaining video/audio footage for two years. The cost of upgrading existing systems is an undue expense on LEAs without a fiscal note to support this change in Code.
2. Requiring new audio devices for staff while changing a student in an unattached restroom. The initial cost for any classroom staff to be equipped with a new, portable audio device and storage of additional audio files for at least 365 years is another undue burden on counties. NOTE: IDEA (federal funds) cannot be spent on any of these anticipated costs. It is not an allowable cost.

1. What if a staff member refuses to wear a portable audio device? I anticipate many refusing or filing a grievance, creating additional stress and costs on an LEA.
2. What if there are general education students in the unattached restroom? Do their parents have any rights to refuse their child to be recorded on an audio device? We have many changing areas within the girls/boys restrooms in the schools. What legal protections/guidance can be provided to counties to avoid additional grievances and parental complaints?

1. Requiring 15 minutes of audio/video review every SEVEN days (instead of 90). Some schools in Kanawha County have four self contained classrooms with attached restroom and a sensory area. This would require two hours and 15 minutes a week (for ONE school) of just listening/reviewing audio and video files, including the documentation. KCS has over 50 schools.  While I understand the intent for increased protection of our students, this is an unrealistic, legal burden to place on LEA/school staff. I would recommend considering 60 calendar days, instead of 90 days.
2. Allowing parents to retain video footage for 60 days past the statute of limitations. Parents or guardians are permitted to view the footage at anytime, multiple times, with any legal representative. Allowing copies of the footage would not only infringe on other students/staff confidentiality that may also be on the footage, it is not going to increase any protection of our vulnerable students. It will only create additional sharing of inaccurate information over social media platforms in which LEAs have no control of the dialogue or false statements made in response.
3. Allowing parents/guardians to view footage outside of an alleged incident with no legal definition of a "reasonable request".  LEAs have a solid process of any parental/guardian concern to be screened and reported. Student confidentiality MUST be maintained and this would allow parents/guardians to view footage that would not involve their own child, a clear violation of FERPA and student confidentiality.

This is America. This is WV. It's not the job of the government to limit our exchange of precious metals.

It's not a perfect bill because it requires notary and it doesn't include philosophical exemption. Vaccine mandates shouldn't even exist. Look to Florida for an example on how to handle these idiotic mandates.

• “The term separation of church and state came from one letter by Thomas Jefferson to a congregation.” “The first amendment was to keep the government out of religion, not religion from government.” “The establishment clause was to keep from establishing a National Religion.” “States established their own religions prior to the constitution.” “Separation of church and state is a myth.”
  1. This is incorrect in many ways. Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison both made countless statements about the need to keep the two entities separate. Whether using this term in full or not, the intent is clear
     1. Thomas Jefferson: “[E]very one must act according to the dictates of his own reason, and mine tells me that civil powers alone have been given to the President of the U.S. and no authority to direct the religious exercises of his constituents.” To Rev. Samuel Miller, January 23, 1808
     2. Thomas Jefferson: “Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions…therefore the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to the offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages to which in common with his fellow citizens he has a natural right” -“Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” 1786

• Thomas Jefferson: “…yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as it was in his Almighty power to do; that the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavouring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world, and through all time; that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical…” – “Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” 1786

1. Thomas Jefferson: “As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion” – Treaty of Tripoli Article 11 1797
2. James Madison: “[T]he number, the industry, and the morality of the Priesthood, & the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the Church from the State." - Letter to Robert Walsh, March 2, 1819
3. James Madison: “The members of a Govt as such can in no sense, be regarded as possessing an advisory trust from their Constituents in their religious capacities.” – Journal Entry

• Thomas Jefferson wrote the “Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom” that formally severed ties between the state government of Virginia and the Church of England.
• James Madison wrote “Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” in 1785, before he wrote the First Amendment, where he wrote in opposition to a proposal by Patrick Henry that all Virginians be taxed to support “teachers of the Christian religion.” To this day it is one of the most detailed writings against the government establishing of a state sponsored religion.

1. Thomas Jeferson and the infamous letter to Danbury Baptist: “...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State" - Letter to Danbury Baptists Association 1802
   1. This has been used time and time again to express and confirm this founding father’s position on the Establishment Clause and the Free-Exercise Clause.
   2. This is the one many pastors and political leaders have been quoting saying that this is the origin of this concept of “separation of church and state.” However, it is not the first instance nor is it the only instance that this concept is discussed by our constitutional framers and founders.
2. There are more quotes from these two below in the link I provided as-well-as being easy to find online and other sources.

1. These men didn’t even believe that government should make any form of religious proclamations as well, like calling for national prayer. It could not be more clear.
2. States that had established, state sponsored religions slowly phased this out after adopting the United States Constitution, the last being Massachusetts in 1833.
3. What many historians gather from these men is that they believed that for Religion and Government to both flourish, they must do so on their own. That religion is best suited without government influence, and that government is best suited without religious influence. Religion does inform us, but it should not dictate.

• “The bible is the main inspiration of our founding documents.”
  1. This is not true, while the Bible informed many of our founding fathers in their basis of morality, they sought many secular sources to inform how they wanted our nation to be setup from our founding documents. Including: the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, English Common Law (stemming from Anglo-Saxon principles and ideas that predate Christianized Anglo-Saxon Groups).
  2. The First Amendment, penned by James Madison took inspiration from Thomas Jefferson’s “Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom” which was penned to end the state of Virginia’s state sponsored religious ties to the Church of England, in 1786. It established that no individual could be forced to attend or support any religious institution or suffer penalties for their beliefs. This is a clear indication to Thomas Jefferson’s intent to keep states themselves from establishing a religion within their own state.
• “The ten commandments informed our Bill of Rights and is as foundational as the constitution.” “The Ten Commandments influenced our laws.”
  1. The only similarity here is that there are ten amendments within the Bill of Rights and ten commandments. There is no historic proof that there is any inter-relation there. Just look at them in order and read. “Thou shalt have no other g*ds before me, does not inspire the Establishment or Free Exercise Clause, they are antithetical.
  2. The only commandments we see that are similar to laws that we have are to not kill or steal. There are no laws against children talking back to their parents, being jealous of your neighbors, lying (under most circumstances), or adultery (those phased out). To not kill and to not steal are two very common moral standings of most cultures – regardless of religion.
• “The Bible is the foundation of Western Civilization.”
  1. Rome was founded in 753 B.C. Western civilization was well established before the Christian Bible as we know it was formed in the 5^th Century AD. There were groups and civilizations where influences are still seen today that were not Christianized until much later.
• “The Aitken Bible teaches us a lot about the history of our nation and events during the Revolutionary War.”
  1. The website for The First American Bible, the group that will be providing these $200 Bibles, paid for by donations to them, offers only one lesson plan. That lesson plan is divided into three topics, and only one discusses the Aitken Bible.
  2. The Aitken Bible only has a few paragraphs discussing these events and how it came to be.
  3. The Aitken Bible lost money during production and Congress did not seek to fund it, few copies were made because it was not being purchased.
  4. Senator Bartlett claimed that it could teach students about printing methods at the time, the edition being given is not a replica. It is printed using modern production techniques.
• “This is for educational purposes only, not religious.”
  1. Opinion/Observation: if it was for educational purposes, why are we not also championing the supply of our foundational documents to the same classrooms? The organization behind the bibles “First American Bible” only supply one lesson plan on this specific Bible, yet it cost $200 for one lesson? The notion appears, to me, to be to slowly introduce religion in the classroom and into state government. Going against the very wishes of the men who originated our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Senator Grady went on to list content standards on the Revolutionary period, including “contributions by western Virginia” to demonstrate how this specific bible could be used to align with state standards. The Bible wasn’t even printed in western Virginia, most of the content standards she listed would apply very loosely.
  2. It is the 250^th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, why are these same lawmakers not trying to make, at least, this document available to teachers to use as supplement and a physical representation of the very document that made us the country that we are today?

• “The term separation of church and state came from one letter by Thomas Jefferson to a congregation.” “The first amendment was to keep the government out of religion, not religion from government.” “The establishment clause was to keep from establishing a National Religion.” “States established their own religions prior to the constitution.” “Separation of church and state is a myth.”
  1. This is incorrect in many ways. Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison both made countless statements about the need to keep the two entities separate. Whether using this term in full or not, the intent is clear
     1. Thomas Jefferson: “[E]very one must act according to the dictates of his own reason, and mine tells me that civil powers alone have been given to the President of the U.S. and no authority to direct the religious exercises of his constituents.” To Rev. Samuel Miller, January 23, 1808
     2. Thomas Jefferson: “Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions…therefore the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to the offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages to which in common with his fellow citizens he has a natural right” -“Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” 1786

• Thomas Jefferson: “…yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as it was in his Almighty power to do; that the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavouring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world, and through all time; that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical…” – “Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” 1786

1. Thomas Jefferson: “As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion” – Treaty of Tripoli Article 11 1797
2. James Madison: “[T]he number, the industry, and the morality of the Priesthood, & the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the Church from the State." - Letter to Robert Walsh, March 2, 1819
3. James Madison: “The members of a Govt as such can in no sense, be regarded as possessing an advisory trust from their Constituents in their religious capacities.” – Journal Entry

• Thomas Jefferson wrote the “Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom” that formally severed ties between the state government of Virginia and the Church of England.
• James Madison wrote “Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” in 1785, before he wrote the First Amendment, where he wrote in opposition to a proposal by Patrick Henry that all Virginians be taxed to support “teachers of the Christian religion.” To this day it is one of the most detailed writings against the government establishing of a state sponsored religion.

1. Thomas Jeferson and the infamous letter to Danbury Baptist: “...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State" - Letter to Danbury Baptists Association 1802
   1. This has been used time and time again to express and confirm this founding father’s position on the Establishment Clause and the Free-Exercise Clause.
   2. This is the one many pastors and political leaders have been quoting saying that this is the origin of this concept of “separation of church and state.” However, it is not the first instance nor is it the only instance that this concept is discussed by our constitutional framers and founders.
2. There are more quotes from these two below in the link I provided as-well-as being easy to find online and other sources.

1. These men didn’t even believe that government should make any form of religious proclamations as well, like calling for national prayer. It could not be more clear.
2. States that had established, state sponsored religions slowly phased this out after adopting the United States Constitution, the last being Massachusetts in 1833.
3. What many historians gather from these men is that they believed that for Religion and Government to both flourish, they must do so on their own. That religion is best suited without government influence, and that government is best suited without religious influence. Religion does inform us, but it should not dictate.

• “The bible is the main inspiration of our founding documents.”
  1. This is not true, while the Bible informed many of our founding fathers in their basis of morality, they sought many secular sources to inform how they wanted our nation to be setup from our founding documents. Including: the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, English Common Law (stemming from Anglo-Saxon principles and ideas that predate Christianized Anglo-Saxon Groups).
  2. The First Amendment, penned by James Madison took inspiration from Thomas Jefferson’s “Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom” which was penned to end the state of Virginia’s state sponsored religious ties to the Church of England, in 1786. It established that no individual could be forced to attend or support any religious institution or suffer penalties for their beliefs. This is a clear indication to Thomas Jefferson’s intent to keep states themselves from establishing a religion within their own state.
• “The ten commandments informed our Bill of Rights and is as foundational as the constitution.” “The Ten Commandments influenced our laws.”
  1. The only similarity here is that there are ten amendments within the Bill of Rights and ten commandments. There is no historic proof that there is any inter-relation there. Just look at them in order and read. “Thou shalt have no other g*ds before me, does not inspire the Establishment or Free Exercise Clause, they are antithetical.
  2. The only commandments we see that are similar to laws that we have are to not kill or steal. There are no laws against children talking back to their parents, being jealous of your neighbors, lying (under most circumstances), or adultery (those phased out). To not kill and to not steal are two very common moral standings of most cultures – regardless of religion.
• “The Bible is the foundation of Western Civilization.”
  1. Rome was founded in 753 B.C. Western civilization was well established before the Christian Bible as we know it was formed in the 5^th Century AD. There were groups and civilizations where influences are still seen today that were not Christianized until much later.
• “The Aitken Bible teaches us a lot about the history of our nation and events during the Revolutionary War.”
  1. The website for The First American Bible, the group that will be providing these $200 Bibles, paid for by donations to them, offers only one lesson plan. That lesson plan is divided into three topics, and only one discusses the Aitken Bible.
  2. The Aitken Bible only has a few paragraphs discussing these events and how it came to be.
  3. The Aitken Bible lost money during production and Congress did not seek to fund it, few copies were made because it was not being purchased.
  4. Senator Bartlett claimed that it could teach students about printing methods at the time, the edition being given is not a replica. It is printed using modern production techniques.
• “This is for educational purposes only, not religious.”
  1. Opinion/Observation: if it was for educational purposes, why are we not also championing the supply of our foundational documents to the same classrooms? The organization behind the bibles “First American Bible” only supply one lesson plan on this specific Bible, yet it cost $200 for one lesson? The notion appears, to me, to be to slowly introduce religion in the classroom and into state government. Going against the very wishes of the men who originated our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Senator Grady went on to list content standards on the Revolutionary period, including “contributions by western Virginia” to demonstrate how this specific bible could be used to align with state standards. The Bible wasn’t even printed in western Virginia, most of the content standards she listed would apply very loosely.
  2. It is the 250^th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, why are these same lawmakers not trying to make, at least, this document available to teachers to use as supplement and a physical representation of the very document that made us the country that we are today?

• “The term separation of church and state came from one letter by Thomas Jefferson to a congregation.” “The first amendment was to keep the government out of religion, not religion from government.” “The establishment clause was to keep from establishing a National Religion.” “States established their own religions prior to the constitution.” “Separation of church and state is a myth.”
  1. This is incorrect in many ways. Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison both made countless statements about the need to keep the two entities separate. Whether using this term in full or not, the intent is clear
     1. Thomas Jefferson: “[E]very one must act according to the dictates of his own reason, and mine tells me that civil powers alone have been given to the President of the U.S. and no authority to direct the religious exercises of his constituents.” To Rev. Samuel Miller, January 23, 1808
     2. Thomas Jefferson: “Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions…therefore the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to the offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages to which in common with his fellow citizens he has a natural right” -“Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” 1786

• Thomas Jefferson: “…yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as it was in his Almighty power to do; that the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavouring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world, and through all time; that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical…” – “Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” 1786

1. Thomas Jefferson: “As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion” – Treaty of Tripoli Article 11 1797
2. James Madison: “[T]he number, the industry, and the morality of the Priesthood, & the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the Church from the State." - Letter to Robert Walsh, March 2, 1819
3. James Madison: “The members of a Govt as such can in no sense, be regarded as possessing an advisory trust from their Constituents in their religious capacities.” – Journal Entry

• Thomas Jefferson wrote the “Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom” that formally severed ties between the state government of Virginia and the Church of England.
• James Madison wrote “Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” in 1785, before he wrote the First Amendment, where he wrote in opposition to a proposal by Patrick Henry that all Virginians be taxed to support “teachers of the Christian religion.” To this day it is one of the most detailed writings against the government establishing of a state sponsored religion.

1. Thomas Jeferson and the infamous letter to Danbury Baptist: “...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State" - Letter to Danbury Baptists Association 1802
   1. This has been used time and time again to express and confirm this founding father’s position on the Establishment Clause and the Free-Exercise Clause.
   2. This is the one many pastors and political leaders have been quoting saying that this is the origin of this concept of “separation of church and state.” However, it is not the first instance nor is it the only instance that this concept is discussed by our constitutional framers and founders.
2. There are more quotes from these two below in the link I provided as-well-as being easy to find online and other sources.

1. These men didn’t even believe that government should make any form of religious proclamations as well, like calling for national prayer. It could not be more clear.
2. States that had established, state sponsored religions slowly phased this out after adopting the United States Constitution, the last being Massachusetts in 1833.
3. What many historians gather from these men is that they believed that for Religion and Government to both flourish, they must do so on their own. That religion is best suited without government influence, and that government is best suited without religious influence. Religion does inform us, but it should not dictate.

• “The bible is the main inspiration of our founding documents.”
  1. This is not true, while the Bible informed many of our founding fathers in their basis of morality, they sought many secular sources to inform how they wanted our nation to be setup from our founding documents. Including: the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, English Common Law (stemming from Anglo-Saxon principles and ideas that predate Christianized Anglo-Saxon Groups).
  2. The First Amendment, penned by James Madison took inspiration from Thomas Jefferson’s “Virginia Statute on Religious Freedom” which was penned to end the state of Virginia’s state sponsored religious ties to the Church of England, in 1786. It established that no individual could be forced to attend or support any religious institution or suffer penalties for their beliefs. This is a clear indication to Thomas Jefferson’s intent to keep states themselves from establishing a religion within their own state.
• “The ten commandments informed our Bill of Rights and is as foundational as the constitution.” “The Ten Commandments influenced our laws.”
  1. The only similarity here is that there are ten amendments within the Bill of Rights and ten commandments. There is no historic proof that there is any inter-relation there. Just look at them in order and read. “Thou shalt have no other g*ds before me, does not inspire the Establishment or Free Exercise Clause, they are antithetical.
  2. The only commandments we see that are similar to laws that we have are to not kill or steal. There are no laws against children talking back to their parents, being jealous of your neighbors, lying (under most circumstances), or adultery (those phased out). To not kill and to not steal are two very common moral standings of most cultures – regardless of religion.
• “The Bible is the foundation of Western Civilization.”
  1. Rome was founded in 753 B.C. Western civilization was well established before the Christian Bible as we know it was formed in the 5^th Century AD. There were groups and civilizations where influences are still seen today that were not Christianized until much later.
• “The Aitken Bible teaches us a lot about the history of our nation and events during the Revolutionary War.”
  1. The website for The First American Bible, the group that will be providing these $200 Bibles, paid for by donations to them, offers only one lesson plan. That lesson plan is divided into three topics, and only one discusses the Aitken Bible.
  2. The Aitken Bible only has a few paragraphs discussing these events and how it came to be.
  3. The Aitken Bible lost money during production and Congress did not seek to fund it, few copies were made because it was not being purchased.
  4. Senator Bartlett claimed that it could teach students about printing methods at the time, the edition being given is not a replica. It is printed using modern production techniques.
• “This is for educational purposes only, not religious.”
  1. Opinion/Observation: if it was for educational purposes, why are we not also championing the supply of our foundational documents to the same classrooms? The organization behind the bibles “First American Bible” only supply one lesson plan on this specific Bible, yet it cost $200 for one lesson? The notion appears, to me, to be to slowly introduce religion in the classroom and into state government. Going against the very wishes of the men who originated our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Senator Grady went on to list content standards on the Revolutionary period, including “contributions by western Virginia” to demonstrate how this specific bible could be used to align with state standards. The Bible wasn’t even printed in western Virginia, most of the content standards she listed would apply very loosely.
  2. It is the 250^th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, why are these same lawmakers not trying to make, at least, this document available to teachers to use as supplement and a physical representation of the very document that made us the country that we are today?

“I strongly support this bill to align the school calendar with a start date of the Tuesday after Labor Day and an end date of the Friday before Memorial Day. This schedule provides consistency and predictability for families, educators, and communities across the state.

Beginning school after Labor Day allows students and teachers to start the year well-rested and prepared, leading to stronger engagement and smoother transitions at the start of the academic year. Ending before Memorial Day helps reduce instructional disruptions caused by late-spring fatigue and improves attendance during the final weeks of school.

This calendar also benefits working families by offering clearer planning for childcare and summer employment, supports local economies that rely on summer tourism, and promotes a healthier balance between instructional time and student well-being. Overall, this change would create a more effective, family-friendly, and student-centered school year.

1. As a paraprofessional, this bill should definitely be passed! Students are struggling when expected to go 180 and when we have all these snow days, it just makes it worse. We shouldn’t be held accountable for things out of our control. Let’s go back to the way it was. We don’t need all these weeks off during the school year!! Let’s pass this bill of the sake of our students!!