Photo Courtesy/WV Department of Education Miller Hall, a member of the West Virginia Board of Education, has resigned from the board.

Charleston – Former president of the West Virginia State Board of Education, Miller Hall has stepped down from his board membership, becoming the fourth higher education official to resign or move this month.

“Throughout my 47-year career in education, my focus has always been on children and doing what is best for them. This has never wavered from me.” Hall wrote his resignation on Monday. “However, I have decided to resign as a member of the State Board of Education.”

Gov. Jim Justice announced Hall’s resignation Monday at a virtual briefing with reporters in Charleston. Hall said in his resignation letter that he and his wife Joyce moved to Pennsylvania to get closer to his grandchildren.

“(Hall) did a great job, that’s all.” said justice. “We wish him the best of luck. Miller Hall will always remain a great West Virginian. I don’t know if it will.”

Justice appointed Hall to the state board of education in 2017 to fill the remainder of his term. He reached the end of his term in 2019. Hall’s term expired on November 4, 2028. Hall said he was elected chairman of the state board on July 8, 2020, and board member Paul He served until July 13, when Hardesty was elected president.

Hall is the latest in a series of high-profile school board and education department officials to resign since early August.

The state board voted on August 10 to move former state superintendent Clayton Burch as the new superintendent to West Virginia Schools for the Deaf in Hampshire County. Birch was replaced as state superintendent that same day by former Office of School Buildings Executive Director David Roach. Birch has served as state superintendent since June 2020.

Hall and Birch are joined by Putnam County parent Travis Beaver, Upsher County parent Karen Culler, Raleigh County teacher Wendy Peters, State Treasurer Riley Moore, and Senate Speaker Craig Blair. , was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed in January by House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, Attorney General. In June, Hall and Birch filed a response to a lawsuit in favor of their parents, breaking with the governor, Congress, and the state treasurer.

Also leaving the Department of Education are Assistant Superintendent Jan Baas and Heather Hutchins, who served as general counsel to both the Department of Education and the State Board of Education. The Charleston Gazette Mail reported last week that Hutchins was replaced as board general counsel by Stephanie Abraham, a former attorney at the Logan County Board of Education and wife of Attorney General Brian Abraham.

Hall is from Beckley and is a former teacher and principal of Woodrow Wilson High School. He served as Assistant Superintendent of the Raleigh County School System. He also served as a basketball and football coach for middle school and high school sports in Raleigh County.

“I love Miller Hall and his family.” said justice. “They were the best thing you could imagine for me. When my son Jay was out for basketball tryouts and had just broken his ankle… Jay had been in a wheelchair for a long time and Miller was out of school. Day after day we drove to school and Miller met him there and helped him get into school.

“Anyone who truly loves children and who loves children, I would say beyond common sense.” Justice continued. “He dedicated his life to education. What a job he did. We miss him.”