Re "Viers says newspapers should help fund schools," March 20 news report:

While I have tried hard to give my state representative, Thad Viers, the benefit of the doubt because of his age and immaturity, his latest assault on The Sun News deserves his constituents' attention.

Since his election to office in 2002 (with the help of false statements of endorsements by popular elected officials), Viers has tried to use his position to threaten and cajole anyone who opposes his point of view. First, it was a veiled threat to the judge who ruled in favor of allowing the much talked about methadone clinic to open, saying he "better not forget who appoints him to office." (Thankfully, his scare tactics didn't work and many people are now receiving such needed help with little fanfare.) I've never heard an apology.

Then, the committee members who also ruled against his wishes to close it came under fire, again with the threat of reappointment. Now, it seems, because The Sun News rightly speaks out about school funding, they also are to be "punished" by [prospectively] losing the tax-exempt status enjoyed by the free press we have come to rely on for opposing viewpoints. I wonder, when is enough really enough?

Wasn't Viers the candidate who espoused the "no new tax" pledge? That's exactly what he proposes now, as the cost of losing tax-exempt status would be added to the cost of the papers. That's a tax increase for the consumer, Mr. Viers, no matter how you spin it. If you can't keep your promise then perhaps it's time to find another line of work.

The issue of school funding is critically important, and the idea of taking public, taxpayer dollars to fund private education is absolutely bizarre. In Viers' view, anyone who opposes him should be threatened and forced into silence.

Odd that he is supposed to represent the people of his district, who by my estimate overwhelmingly oppose giving away their tax dollars to private schools. (Perhaps if Mr. Viers spent more time at home in Socastee?)

The myth is that this will help public schools. The reality is that it will further deprive children of the middle class who can't afford private schools of the education they deserve. Just ask any teacher who already spends a good share of her or his income on school supplies what the real truth is. I'm talking about the actual foot soldiers who toil 10- and 12-hour days to try to educate children with unfunded mandates and ridiculous curriculum requirements.

Anyone can come up with numbers to support their view, and I'm sure Mr. Viers will try. However, the truth is we don't spend enough on education and the money we do spend isn't spent correctly all the time. Good government represents all the people. The idea of taking money from public schools for the elite few who can afford private schools is not good government for the majority. After all, aren't they the ones who are supposed to count?

Mr. Viers needs to walk and live with a teacher for a week or so. I'm sure there are many who would volunteer for the job. Of course, when school's out he will have to follow them home where they continue to work, sometimes until the early morning hours.