Part V: Virtual Racism

Also, virtual teachers will know where a certain child lives. For instance, if a black homeschooled student lives in a certain zip code that is predominately black, urban and poor will that child be afforded the same treatment as a homeschooled child in a wealthy zip code? Will that child be met with the same enthusiasm for advanced work or even the possibility for advanced work? Who knows for certain.

As the director of a national black home schooling organization, I stand in opposition to virtual charters in the place of traditional home schooling because these schools do not offer anything more than the work black parents can do for themselves. Some black parents are under the impression that online charter schooling is the same as home schooling, but this is a false impression. Virtual online charters are simply public schools replicated in the home. Parents and their children will be given the exact same curricula as in brick and mortar schools. They will be associating with the same type of teachers as brick and mortar schools. They will be dealing with the same ingrained racism by some teachers that they may be escaping from in brick and mortar schools. They may have to contend with even more unequal resources that is currently evident in brick and mortar schools. And above all else, black parents again relinquish their ability to put the onus upon themselves to ensure their children are well-educated.

Black parents need to become primary factors in their children's education instead of being spoon-fed how to best teach their children. In fact, there are a plethora of resources that can aid any parent in educating their child. No parent has to rely on virtual charters to ensure their child is well-educated. Arguably, while these schools are yet another option for any family, black parents must realize the power of their ability to teach and their children's ability to learn, free from the influences of government education.

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