WINFIELD - In the 25 years Craig Houston has taught math at Poca High School, he's watched every administration ask for an elevator in the school and be denied each time.
This year, Houston was the one to stand in front of the Putnam County Board of Education at its meeting Monday night and request an elevator.
"We already know the answer central office will give us, a resounding no, perhaps with no explanation to accompany rejection unless you count, 'You don't need one,' as an explanation," Houston said.
Houston said disabled students requiring an elevator have to leave their friends and their community to go to another high school in the county.
"Poca High may be the only school in the county that must send a student with a disability to another school because we do not have an elevator," Houston said.
All of the other high schools in the district have elevators, with the exception of Buffalo High School, which is only one level.
Houston also brought up the safety issues and inconvenience revolving around not having an elevator. Students or staff on crutches are more prone to having an accident from using crutches on stairs, and just recently workers had to carry a large copier up to the second floor.
"We are tired of hearing we don't need an elevator. We do need an elevator," Houston said. "It's not just about students with disabilities, it's about family, which is what we are at Poca High. We are trying to take care of our family."
"We will definitely look into that. That's not a decision we can make tonight because it has to be on the agenda," board member William Legg told Houston after he made his request.
Darren Francis' son is a freshman at Poca High School. He said he realized the problem the absence of an elevator caused when his son had to be homebound for four months after the teen broke his femur playing soccer.
Francis' son was on crutches but couldn't navigate stairs, meaning he couldn't attend classes at Poca High until he was able to walk again without crutches.
Francis said his son had his first day back to school on Monday, but Francis attended the meeting to support an elevator for future students who may face a similar situation.
"My son definitely isn't the first one and he's definitely not the last one," Francis said. "What about the next boy? What about the next girl? What about the next teacher that needs assistance whether it be physically or with their equipment?"
The Putnam County Board of Education will meet next at 7 p.m. April 18 at the board office in Winfield.
Reach Laura Haight at laura.haight@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @laurahaight_ on Twitter.