Education in Appalachia

Lesson Learned: Teachers Across the Country Follow West Virginia’s Lead

Teachers across the country are going on strike after West Virginia’s teachers successfully secured raises in a standoff with state officials that shut down schools in all 55 counties last month. The widely-covered walkout in West Virginia is pointed to as a source of inspiration and empowerment by many teachers […]

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Not Just Red vs Blue: What the Teacher Strike May Reveal About West Virginia’s Political Landscape

The nine-day teachers’ strike in West Virginia made headlines across the country, and some are wondering what the events mean for state’s political landscape. How did a widespread labor strike, a practice normally associated with Democrats, happen in a state that voted so heavily for Donald Trump? We wanted to […]

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Students Push As Lawmakers Ponder Gun Safety Bills

In a recently released court video, Capt. Matt Hilbrecht of the Marshall County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s office testifies about his interrogation of Gabriel Parker, the15-year-old accused of a mass shooting at Marshall County High School in January. “We asked him initially when he had the thought of the school shooting,” Hilbrecht […]

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Changing Course: Coal Country Students Working For A Power Switch

Arlie Boggs Elementary sits between Kentucky’s two tallest mountains in a remote area that once had a booming coal economy. Ten years ago there were over a thousand coal miners employed here in Letcher county. Today, there are just 28. “We were left with many unemployed miners,” eighth-grader Nicholas Sturgill […]

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