NJ parents pushing to bring back virtual learning deserve an F (Opinion)

There is a growing chorus among New Jersey parents asking for something truly shocking. They want to bring back virtual learning.

Yes, the same virtual learning that failed our kids so miserably when Covid-19 came and shut down all the schools (and almost everything else). The same virtual learning which was hastily thrown together but that even as it was honed later was still found to have even worse outcomes for students than educators first feared.

There's been debate since on how to effectively catch kids up. College admissions was affected by it. Higher education is trying to figure out how to address pandemic learning loss when virtual learning showed itself as such a poor substitute for traditional classroom instruction.

So why would any parent in their right mind embrace bringing back virtual learning as an option for all?

Now to be fair, some parents who want virtual classrooms that will keep their kids at kitchen tables have children with serious health concerns. That's a set aside and potentially understandable circumstance depending on the nature of the medical problem.

The rest? Put it this way. New Jersey Parents for Virtual Choice is a grassroots group whose website states, "Any reason is the right reason, no reason is the wrong reason. COVID started it, but it will not end the fight for virtual.”

They want it for any family whatsoever. They want it for emotional reasons. For shyness. For bullying. For any reason whatsoever.

The group is demanding a choice of a permanent, free virtual public school program. They're making other demands as well which you can learn more about here at their website.

Gov. Phil Murphy is not a fan. A spokesperson, Alayna Alfaro Post, said,

“Evidence demonstrates that there is no substitute for in-person education. And virtual education during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health struggles and learning loss for our students."

I rarely find common ground with Phil Murphy but I've found it here.

Virtual learning is a proven failure and parents asking for it if it's not absolutely necessary are selling their kids short. If this idea were an assignment I'd be reaching for my red marker because this gets a big fat F.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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