Editor, News-Register:

In Mike Myer’s March 21st piece, In West Virginia, We Should Just Let Teachers Teach, he is correct that there are “mountain of rules and regulations by which teachers, principals, superintendents and boards of education must do their jobs.”

I have attached a photo (above) of the three-pound, 901-page 2015 Edition of the West Virginia School Laws Annotated. That is a literal “mountain.” And it is four years old; there must be several ounces of new laws since 2015.

However Myer’s statement: “But nowhere did lawmakers tackle the mountain of rules and regulations by which teachers, principals, superintendents and boards of education must do their jobs” is completely and absolutely WRONG. The heart of the bill provides two distinct exit ramps from those regulations: ESAs and charter schools. The underlying premise of charter schools is that they are not bound by those very regulations, and ESAs allow children to receive funding to attend schools that do not operate under those regulations.

I am very disappointed that you have missed this essential point of the bill. The onslaught of information from every source and direction vis. this education bill, SB 451, has been negative and ignorant. The establishment is lashing out at a perceived threat to their failing monopoly, a threat that will clearly show that the emperor truly has no clothes. When the statistic of 24 percent competency in math in our high schools is quoted, does anyone understand that “competency” means, AT BEST a grade of C, or perhaps a bit better than a D? In other words, 24 percent are not failing. This is beyond abysmal.

I would hope that we (you, and perhaps I) can correct your mistake. SB451, at its heart, addresses exactly this problem of our educators being dragged down by this onerous mountain of laws.

Thorney Lieberman

Charleston