It’s not just WV. I used to teach in CA, and saw corrupt school officials protect and retain teachers who were clearly emotionally and physically abusive to students. It’s easier for the school board to sue a parent than face the legal hell of trying to fire a tenured teacher. 

The whole school system is one big seething swamp run by some very slimy people, and while there are islands of decency, corrupt school officials tend to prefer teachers who are also at home in the swamp, hence why there are so many cases of abuse by teachers.