Apr
21
Keep moving forward
April 21, 2008 | |
There is not, I believe a person reading this who would not agree that the Virtual Education Program is one of the best things that ever happened to them or their family. It is an experience like none other that many have found brought the family closer. The kids are excelling at their school work, and the horizon broadened exponentially since the program entered your home.
We have been asked to stay engaged, to stay involved and to advocate for what is right for us and can be for many others. Please do that. We must constantly remind those who are watching that this is a program that works, that we fought hard for, and we will continue to fight for.
We ask those that we voted for to fully fund this program, allow sibling enrollment, expand the program and make this a permanent school choice that we are entitled to have. We suggest to those we voted for that this is a reasonable alternative to help meet the almost unreasonable criteria and timelines of the class size amendment. We suggest to those we voted for, that we believe in this and that a vote for them means we would like a vote for this to continue, be funded fully, and to expand.
As Churchil said in 1941, “ Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in.” Join the coalition, stay involved, write and call your representatives, they work for you. Keep pressing for what you want. It is your right in this Representative Republic.
Comments
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I am a very concerned parent. I have just recently had to pull both of my children out of public school for fear of their saftey. I believed that FLVA was a great option for us since both children have done very well in school and continuing their education this way would have been a blessing. To find out now that this is no longer an option has left us at a dead end. We are legally responsible to send our children to school, the school can not ensure their saftey so we look for alternatives only to find out that they are trying to take that from us, this does not seem fair. What can I do to make a difference. I need this for my children.
Meanda! Call you State Senator, Call your Representative, Call Governor Crist, tell them what you have written here. Send a letter and email to your elected officials. Advocate…THEY WORK FOR YOU. Join the coalition of Virtual School Families, and do it now. That will be your contact point for news and information. It is not over yet! We can triumph and you need to be a voice that is heard!
Meanda! True, don’t give up as mentioned above and continue to pursue the Virtual School route, but you can, while you are waiting, home school your children. There are myriads of curriculum and books available. Make sure they are keeping up with the basics, Math, Reading and Writing. There are many home schooling communities out there. Our local library is very helpful with contacts, and resources. There are also many interactive free educational websites that will help with subject areas. I have been educating my children at home for over 15 years through curriculum I’ve purchased, as well as, through virtual education. My children have excelled. I have one college graduate now, 2 more in college. One in a Public High School and one in a middle school and 2 doing virtual school now. At one time or another, they have all done some virtual schooling. But there were many years that we didn’t have that option and we just used books, and then when the internet became available, we also used resources online. Don’t worry, it will all work out in the end.
I am the mother of an exceptional education student (ESE). In short learning disabled. I was extremely unhappy with the education she was receiving from the local district. She was basically ignored and swept under the rug. Many times not by individual instructor choice but usually by the way the system is designed for these ESE students. FLVA was a god send for me. I only wish I had found it sooner. To learn now that virtual schooling will be run by the district rather than FLVA makes me angry. This is the same district I was running from! The injustice of it all is disheartening. She has been making such progress and now I wonder if all this hard work has been for nothing.
Adelisa,
It is not over yet. We still have ways to change things, but the one thing you must never do is gove up. Please…if you haven’t yet, join the coalition. Join now, have EVERY person you know join. Have every virtual family you know join. We need numbers and we need big numbers. We also need to check the people running for office in the fall, and make sure they think OUR way. Ask the candidates uestions, follow up and stay ON THEM TO DO WHAT THEY PROMISE. WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THINGS TO HOW WE WANT THEM> DON’T GIVE UP.