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1/17/2008
Guest Blog: Overwhelming demonstration of support for Virtual Schools
My family, along with approximately 1100 others, spent many hours today [January 16] in Madison to show our support for Virtual Schools. WEAC sent one representative, their lawyer, to represent their case against AB 697 which went before the Assembly Education Committee today.
The representative was neither informative nor did she have any true arguments that confirmed WEAC’s accusations against Virtual Schooling. According to her testimony, the monies going into Virtual School districts from students that transfer into the district should not be used for anything except online education. The monies, which amount to approximately 1/2 of what each school district receives for a “bricks and mortar student” are part of the new district’s revenues, even though the student is no longer attending a “regular” school. When asked if this was fair and shouldn't the constituents in the student’s geographical district be reimbursed (since the student was not being educated in the district), the attorney said no, the money was still needed for education in the district.
The DPI at the hearing today also stated their case against the bill. They admitted to not doing research on Virtual education until being sued by WEAC. Their stated reasoning now is they wish to be in compliance in an effort to avoid further litigation. DPI also proposed that each district have their own virtual education so they can receive monies from other districts and that perhaps a state run virtual school would be a good alternative. This proposal does not address DPI/WEAC’s original issue that parents are not certified teachers. The concern here is that even if a parent is well educated they have not received proper secondary instruction on teaching modalities or behavioral modification. This is rather interesting considering that parents are the first teachers of children and that most parents use discipline with children in order to teach them proper behavior.
There were 600 people at the hearing registering in favor of Rep. Davis’ bill and hundreds that spoke for it to pass. Seven people signed as opposing the bill and spoke for it to fail. Out of the hundreds that waited for hours to speak in favor of AB 697 were students, teachers (both virtual and brick and mortar), principals, superintendents, school board members and parents.
One WIVA (Wisconsin Virtual Academy) student brought a science project to show the committee to prove that there were many projects and lessons included in her curriculum. Another impressive young 7th grader told the committee he deserved to be heard and should have a say in how he was educated. He spoke of health issues he had and how his learning would be inhibited in a regular school setting. He told the committee that he was smaller than most boys his age and would not enjoy being "ridiculed." He stated "I see on the news about students that have been emotionally tortured by other students in school that end up losing their minds and shooting everyone in sight and then themselves. I do not want to be a victim or a statistic. I want to be a boy that is given the opportunity to learn and grow and eventually graduate into a well educated adult." His plea for consideration was met with applause.
Today’s demonstration could not be seen as a victory for WEAC, despite their overflowing coffers. Today's demonstration was a win for the students of Wisconsin who stood proud and well-mannered in face of their opposition.
Donna is a Virtual School mom and a FoxPolitics reader.
COMMENTS
You're kidding right?
What exactly is a virtual school mom? What science project was brought forward? And for [expletive deleted]'s sake, what kind of behavior modification was used to get a 7th grader to mouth the platitudes of a witless overprotective parent?
We all know that the Republican machine can turn out scads of demonstrators at the press of a computer key (or phone bank for that matter.)
Virtual school is another way to leech funds out of the school district and privatize a form of asocial social control by isolation. It defeats the intent and purpose of public education to make informed citizens of the young.
"What did you learn in school today, Ralph? Did you learn how to believe or did you learn how to think?"
If anyone wants to know where that came from, I'll post the answer on another day.
The point to take is that a virtual anything is a controlled environment of isolation in front of a view screen.
I have rarely been as outraged as I am about this.
Lon Ponschock (Thu Jan 17 13:01:22 2008)
Outraged? You are a bitter man Lon. I know it won't matter, but you need to become a little more aware of the world around you. Not the least to say you need to become a little more open-minded.
Jo E. (Thu Jan 17 15:55:36 2008)
Indeed the 'outraged' individual posting here needs to take a moment to consider what he's getting so upset about.
Virtual public schools are public schools. They have schools boards, a principal, licensed teachers, and assignments and tests and all that which comes to mind when one thinks of 'school'.
Folks that do not understand what these schools have achieved and how well they work, owe it to themselves to learn more. The resources that teachers have been able to harness using modern technologies is truly stunning.
Virtual public schools are succeeding. They have been serving the children of this state for at least five years now, right alongside their traditional public school cohorts.
They are particularly well suited for children whose challenges, conditions, exceptional talents, or schedules make traditional classroom settings ill suited to their needs.
And I think it's rather offensive to suggest these children are isolated. They are after all enrolled in a public school. They are therefore in the care of certified public school teachers. They participate in group classes and activities. Being a virtual public school student therefore certainly does not place them at any increased risk of isolation.
Virtual public schools are an educational innovation that the people of Wisconsin should be proud of.
And we should be encouraging our school leaders and legislators to support the successful and remarkably inventive work that these schools do.
Registering Support (Thu Jan 17 20:21:13 2008)
Lon,
In MPS, a student is virtually guaranteed that they will not finish High School. This will cost taxpayers a virtual fortune.
It is virtually impossible to fire a union protected teacher no matter how badly they teach or what kind of misconduct they may be guilty of, yet the taxpayers are on the hook for their salary and benefits.
Almost every teacher in Wisconsin, regardless of experience, makes more than virtually half of the citizens in Wisconsin - and that doesn't even include the lavish benefits, the cost of which should virtually assure every teacher of a home visit, even for a brain tumor.
You really don't know much Lon and that too - is virtually obvious to anyone who read your comment.
Bob (Thu Jan 17 21:27:38 2008)
Mr. Ponschock,
You come across as a man with a small mind and meanness of spirit; perhaps you're sad, and you have my pity.
"And for [expletive deleted]'s sake, what kind of behavior modification was used to get a 7th grader to mouth the platitudes of a witless overprotective parent?"
Do you talk that way to your mother? That is my son you're talking about ... but any further discussion on that topic will not satisfy you, nor will it profit me.
Brian (Thu Jan 17 23:19:11 2008)
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