Committee chaired by freshman Senator fails to accomplish completion of agenda items outlined for discussion and action

US VIRGIN ISLANDS – It is fair to say that the day did not turn out as freshman Senator Genevieve Whitaker, who chairs the Committee on Education and Workforce Development in the 34th Legislature of the United States Virgin Islands. The meeting scheduled to commence at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at the Frits E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room on St. Croix to consider 4 Bills on the agenda and to get an update from the Department and the Board of Education regarding the status of the State Educational Agency Plan for the American Rescue Plan Outlying Areas State Educational Agencies Fund, as it relates to 2022 in-person school reopening and the overall status of the 2022 in-school reopening.

The first item on the agenda for discussion was Bill No. 3-0154 which is an Act amending Title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 5, section 41(a) relating to bilingual education to direct the Department of Education to establish and maintain the Bilingual English Language Development Program in the public schools sponsored by Senators Samuel and Senator Whitaker. Representatives from the Department of Education absent Commissioner Racquel Berry-Benjamin testified in favor of the measure along with Stephanie Berry, PhD., the Executive Director of the Virgin Islands Board of Education. The measure was amended and garnered support from enough committee members to move on to the Committee on Rules and Judiciary for further consideration.

What appeared to be a toiling agenda Bill No. 34-0189 an Act amending Title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3, section 24 relating to school management accountability sponsored by Senator Whitaker. This discussion involved the Department of Education representatives, Kyza Callwood chairman Virgin Islands Board of Education, Rosa-Soto Thomas President of the St. Croix Federation of Teachers AFT Local 1826, Dr. Michael Francois, Chairman Virgin Islands Board for Career & Technical Education, Leontyne Jones, President of the St. Thomas-St, John Federation of Teachers AFT Local 1825 and Margarita Benjamin, the President of the US Virgin Islands Congress of Parents Teachers and Students Association, Inc. Much to the surprise of the bill sponsor members and testifiers did not see through the same lens as Whitaker did. Nevertheless, she pushed ahead and made a motion to advance the measure and experienced sudden death of the measure. The legislation failed for a lack of a second from any member of the committee.

With that alarming rejection the motion was made to recess and remove the two remaining bills from the agenda. Bill No. 34-0086 an Act amending Title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 10, section 111(a) relating to school health programs to provide for mental health education and instruction sponsored by Senator Milton Potter.

In addition, Bill No. 34-0079 An Act amending the Virgin Islands Code, Title 3, chapter 7, by designating the existing provisions as subchapter 1 and adding a subchapter II establishing the Bureau of School Construction and Maintenance within the Virgin Islands Department of Education; amending title 33, chapter 111, section 3092a, changing the Education Maintenance Fund to the School Construction and Maintenance, and making an appropriation of $2,500,000 from the Virgin Islands Education Initiative Fund to the School Construction and Maintenance Fund and for other related purposes sponsored by Senator Donna Frett-Gregory.

Members of the Committee include senators Carla Joseph, Milton Potter, Kenneth Gittens, Kurt Vialet, Frett Gregory, Janelle Sarauw and Whitaker.