Katie Fallon on Issues
Education & School Safety
Education is extremely important to Katie. Two of her children attend public school in her district, and her youngest child will start school soon. Katie’s parents are both retired public school teachers, and from a young age they instilled in her a love of learning and showed her how hard teachers work to educate and inspire their students. As a legislator, Katie will work to retain and recruit excellent teachers, and to give public schools the incentives and tools they need to educate the children of our state.
Additionally, she will work to protect our schools and keep our kids safe. Katie was on campus during three fatal shooting events—first in 1996 as an undergraduate at Penn State, and then in 2006 and again in 2007 as a faculty member at Virginia Tech. She has lived through deadly school violence as a student and as an educator, and now, as a parent, she continues to worry about the safety of our students and teachers. Katie will do whatever she can to protect our schools and campuses.
Katie is proud to be endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers — West Virginia and the West Virginia Education Association.
Environment & Economy
Clean water and a healthy environment are important to the economy and quality of life in House District 82. Tourists from throughout the region visit Cheat Lake, the Cheat River, Cooper’s Rock State Forest, Chestnut Ridge Park, our Rail-Trails, and other outdoor venues for boating, fishing, camping, hiking, swimming, kayaking, rafting, paddle boarding, rock climbing, bird watching, and more. These visitors eat at our locally owned restaurants, shop in our stores, and stay in our hotels and campgrounds. Katie is committed to protecting our water and environment, and she will support access to responsible outdoor recreation opportunities in our district and beyond.
Working People
Katie’s great-great grandfather, an immigrant from Ireland, worked as a coal miner in Raleigh and Fayette Counties, WV, during the time of the Paint Creek Strikes and the Battle of Blair Mountain; she is proud that her family was a part of this important time in West Virginia’s labor history. His son, Katie’s great-grandfather, was president of his local UMWA in Pennsylvania, where he worked as a miner until he was badly injured in an accident underground and lost his eye.
We fought many battles here in West Virginia and Appalachia – literal battles – for the right to organize, so workers could have safe conditions and fair wages. As a legislator, Katie will strive to protect (and restore) the hard-fought victories of the working people of our state.
Katie is proud to be endorsed by the West Virginia AFL-CIO; the Monongalia-Preston Labor Council; the International Union of Operating Engineers - Local 132; the West Virginia Working Families Party; the United Mine Workers of America; and the Communications Workers of America.
Healthcare & Family Planning
The decision of if, when, and how to have children is incredibly personal and private; it involves emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, and medical concerns that are unique to each family. Patients need access to the full range of medical options when it comes to reproductive health, including care for infertility as well as options for ending pregnancies. The government should not be involved in private decisions about reproductive issues. We need to trust West Virginians and allow them to make their own private, personal medical decisions.
Katie is proud to be endorsed by Planned Parenthood Votes! South Atlantic.