A Lifetime of Witness and Work: Pastor Matthew J. Watts’ Leadership on School Discipline, Equity, and Community Power

What happens in school discipline doesn’t stay in school—and ignoring it comes at a cost. For decades, Pastor Matthew J. Watts has warned West Virginia about that cost, naming it plainly and calling the community to action. As he marks his 70th birthday, we begin by celebrating a leader whose lifelong service has deeply shaped our state.

Pastor Watts is a Charleston pastor, Senior Pastor of Grace Bible Church, founder of the Tuesday Morning Group, and President and CEO of the HOPE Community Development Corporation. His leadership extends far beyond the pulpit—spanning education advocacy, community development, and sustained efforts to confront generational inequities in West Virginia, particularly those rooted in how our schools discipline children.

For years, Pastor Watts has been one of the most consistent, passionate voices calling attention to the disproportionate impact of school suspensions on Black, low-income, and marginalized students. He has repeatedly emphasized that excessive disciplinary policies — especially suspensions — act as a “silent, underlying condition” contributing to educational disparities and feeding the school-to-prison pipeline.

Pastor Watts explains that when we remove children from classrooms, it not only widens the achievement gap but also increases truancy, juvenile justice involvement, and long-term risk of incarceration. This concern isn’t abstract — in West Virginia public schools, tens of thousands of students are suspended every year, with students from low-income backgrounds and Black students disproportionately affected.

As he has said in public testimony:

“Student school suspensions is a trigger that starts many young people on a downward path that results in them living perpetuate in poverty, in many cases, in the criminal justice system.”

Beyond his advocacy on discipline issues, Pastor Watts has written hundreds of op-eds and public writings on topics from equity in education to community empowerment. His commentary has been featured on platforms including his own website, pastorwatts.com, which is a wealth of information on these issues — and a resource we encourage you to explore today and read his words directly.