ON THE CUTTING EDGE: You Say You Want A (Pedagogic) Revolution?
Lance T. Izumi, senior director of education studies at the Pacific Research Institute, offers a plan to prevent students from becoming hostages in teacher union wars to protect their sinecures and pensions in this Washington Times op-ed:
As Wisconsin government-employee unions protested against Gov. Scott Walker's budget-balancing proposals, teachers union members walked out of class, depriving thousands of children of their right to an education. …
Parents and their children had little recourse when union teachers closed their schools. If parents had greater school-choice alternatives, students could have quickly left the regular government school system when their government-union teachers abandoned them. One promising choice alternative is online and virtual learning.
Online education provides instruction to students through interactive programs using the Internet. Virtual charter schools are deregulated public schools independent of school districts, not subject to local teachers union contracts. They enable students to learn at home or any remote location using online learning. Because no expensive brick-and-mortar facility is needed and students can learn from star teachers located anywhere, even out of state, parents and students need not be tied down to their expensive unionized neighborhood public school.
At virtual charters, students read, write essays, take tests and conduct experiments, all through online programs. Virtual charter school teachers are available continuously to students through email, instant messaging, phone or Web conferences, and face-to-face meetings. …
Once parents and their children are empowered to bypass the union status quo, the public schools will be forced to reform themselves. When that day comes, children won't be victimized by sickouts that put union power above student achievement.
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