New York Times article on virtual schools
The New York Times has an article today about online schools that features two northwest programs - Salem-Keizer Online from Oregon, and Christa McAuliffe Academy in Yakima, Washington. The Oregon school is a public school, and the Washington school is a private school.
Much of the article consists of interviews with parents and students participating in these programs. The major reasons given for attending virtual schools instead of traditional schools are social, rather than educational. Many of the students speak of alienation at school, not feeling a connection to other students or the staff.
The author of the article seems ambivalent about the whole idea. She’s clearly sympathetic to the kids and what they have escaped, but still seems uneasy about what they lose in leaving school for learning at home. I kept wondering why it’s so hard to create a high schools where students don’t feel so completely alone and vulnerable.
The article is at www.nytimes.com/2003/12/07/magazine/07CYBER.html?pagewanted=1. You need to register to view the article, but it’s free. It also gives you access to all of the newspaper, and there are often very informative articles on education.