Roark Sizemore receieved Sodexo's Brady Scholarship for his work with Pantry Plus More

Hunger makes learning hard. What if kids could get extra food and hygiene supplies from a school-based food pantry to take home from school? That’s what a West Virginia county commissioner and high school student wondered and it led to an award-winning, first-in-the-state program.

It seems even Mother Nature was in agreement that the Omnibus Education bill was not the way to go. As the senate debated the Bill’s final passage before sending it to the governor’s desk a tornado rushed into Charleston.

West Virginia’s clean air, fresh water and deep woods are why generations of families love this beautiful state. Yet a recent funding grab by the state Legislature raises a question: Where do legislators loyalties lie when it comes to keeping West Virginia's air clean? With citizens or polluters?

We expect our local representatives to be strong and do what’s best for the folks at home, not give in to legislative arm-twisting. But that’s what happened when state legislative leaders bullied their way into passing charter schools against the wishes of many West Virginians, who polls show don’t want them.

As West Virginia enters the next phase of confronting the opioid abuse crisis—helping people get their lives back and healing family and community life—a bill that can help is now in front of the WV Legislature.

Hard work is a West Virginia value most of us hold dear. But for West Virginians struggling to get by and facing new demands on their time by employers a "fair workweek" law would help them.

Protecting our right to clean air and water unites all West Virginians. The WV Supreme Court recently upheld a property owner’s right to keep drillers off their land. But they also told property owners it was too bad if their lives and property values were upended by the fracking industry.

West Virginians take care of each other and that means lifting barriers to taking care of families, communities and individuals affected by the addiction crisis.

David Perry, president of the West Virginia Board of Education had strong words recently about attacks on public education in the state: “I am dumbfounded why business leaders within our state think it is productive to attack public education in order to push a political agenda that benefits the private sector and is fueled by outside interest groups.” 

Former West Virginia school teacher Sarah Krause is leaving the state to find work in a more teacher-friendly state. Her recent Charleston Gazette-Mail column should be read by every state legislator.