General Assembly Report – February 1
Patrons are rushing to consolidate a number of discipline bills – there were 9 (nine!) introduced, and they range from mandating alternative education to requiring principals to “read them their rights.” With this many bills in the hopper, representing legislation in both the House and the Senate, the odds would not seem to be in our favor. However, there is a possible bright light in the midst of this darkness because rational and reasonable patrons on both sides of the aisle are beginning to listen to our concerns and have sanctioned informal meetings of all the stakeholders – and consensus may be reached that could transform nine bad bills into one good bill.
Such a bill, if there is final agreement, would require that parents be notified after it has been determined that a student has violated school board policy and such violation will result in at least a suspension. Stay tuned because all the bills are still in play.
Bet Neale
ELIZABETH HARRELL (“Bet”) NEALE
CAREER HISTORY: Twenty-five years of legislative experience in the Virginia political arena.
Bet began her career in the political arena as a Legislative Research Associate at the Division of Legislative Services, having first been mentored by her father Delegate Lyman Harrell, who served 12 years as a member of the House of Delegates. After moving with her family to West Point, where her husband Mark practices dentistry and where they raised their three children Nancy, Cheryl and Mark, Bet remained active in state legislative work as a consultant for a state commission and as a legislative assistant to Delegate Mary Marshall and Delegate Dorothy McDiarmid, Chair of the House Education and House Appropriations Committees. Beginning in 1990, Bet represented VASS as their lead lobbyist for 8 years, after which she served as executive director of the Henrico Education Foundation for HCPS.
Bet came on board with VASSP in 2000 as Director of Government Relations and lobbies on behalf of Association members during all General Assembly sessions and at meetings of legislative education committees and subcommittees. In her capacity as Director of Government Relations/Lead Lobbyist for VASSP, Bet also represents middle and high school principals and assistant principals at statewide education meetings, seminars and special commissions as well as at meetings of the State Board of Education.
Bet is a graduate of the University of Richmond with a BA in English and a Collegiate Certificate in Secondary Education. She has been a guest lecturer at the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia as well as a presenter at various state meetings and seminars.
