WHYY Newsworks Rebuttal

This post is directed to Rhonda Browstein's article on cyber schools. She recently published an article about cyber schools entitled, "The true cost of unchecked cyber growth." 

I only read your article today because I was in Quebec last week with a group of students on a French immersion trip. I am a teacher and administrator at a cyber school in Pennsylvania. I found your article unfair and misleading.

Students on language immersion trips can stay current on their school work and travel the world at the same time with the aid of a laptop and internet connection. We live in a changing world that is requiring our students to change with it. Cyber Schools are schools of choice. Parents who have a negative experience at Cyber School can choose another form of education. This is not the case with traditional schools. They have a default population who are assigned as part of the compulsory education act.

I also take exception to the idea that students learning through cyber education are not collaborating. We have 1100 high schools who are members of a student government organization at our school. We have 50 student senators who create and implement projects like... two proms on both sides of the state, talent shows, a protected social media discussion board, Students against destructive decisions event, Yearbook, numerous fundraisers, and trips to Washington DC, Harrisburg, Panama, China and Quebec. We also spend a week with 20 high school students each year to complete the Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute training to implement service learning projects in communities across the state. We complete team building and leadership training at blended education centers.

Many people make judgments about cyber education before actually visiting one. We welcome you to visit us before you write your next article.