jessica, oklahoma city: I have quite a few friend who have and still do, home school. I have a very firm stand in favor of home schooling. I find it is a commitment that has to begin with parents, for, as you know, it requires dicipline on the whole households part.
My problem with online classes for public high school is not so much with the students possible abuse but the commitment of the parents to properly supervise the child. Children who have both parents working would be a risk of behaving like teenagers. Now that is a novel thought.

Ahmad, Edmond: I could/should have left of the part of the quote about being lazy. My opinion would have been better stated by copying the quote thus: "Only if they have a special need which keeps them out of school. If they are a normal, healthy student, then I would say no."

Stan from Guthrie, learning on line is not about being lazy. On the contrary, online classes need the students to be more self-directed and highly disciplined. Even in the classrooms, teachers are encouraged to teach students to be self-directed. I think our students need to have a choice.

I was homeschooled and we never had a computer. So if the teacher is not proficient in teaching then you should be in school. My mom never got a degree in teaching and she just finished teaching the last two of five kids, and we are all very successful in our careers, My borther is in his last year of medical school and I am working in a loan department. So I think all kids should have to do school the old way going to class and having to work at it.

I repeat from Keith in OKC: "Only if they have a special need which keeps them out of school. If they are a normal, healthy student, then I would say no. Let's not make our teenagers any more lazier than they are now."

Cale; I see my last sentence was improperly worded or punctuated. How many can see what I did wrong?

Cale, It may not be proper writing but it certainly is a good way of putting it. I watch my 12 year old nephew lay on his belly for hours playing those Play-stations and violent games. I think he morer tipickle uf theze kidz now. Yes, that is the way he spells and writes. He has no idea how to use punctuation or capitalization, nor does he know how to make change. He just got a new lap top computer, not to study with, but for games he can take with him. As a teacher I suppose you see it all the time.

More lazier???????????

Only if they have a special need which keeps them out of school. If they are a normal, healthy student, then I would say no. Let's not make our teenagers any more lazier than they are now.

On-line studying has been very beneficial to my oldest granddaughter. When she got pregnant at 17 she completed her studies on-line and graduated with her class. She also did many of her basics toward a nursing degree on-line so she could stay home with her baby. I have to applaud her discipline. In her case, it was a God-send.

If it will help someone graduate then I am all for it. Although I will add that my youngest was taking an online class in his graduating year of College there was no one he was accountable to and he cheated out of his book to pass the course. It was stupid on his part but they did make it easy for him to do.

I know a lady who was raped and constantly harassed so she dropped out. Then there are others who are bullied and others with handicaps. They deserve every chance to get a diploma. We can learn on-line. Look at all the information that even the largest, most up to date libraries can't compete with. And some of you on this very forum, I thank for giving me instructions about computers and life in general. I hope in some way I can repay through some of my studies and experiences. If I never said it before (and I have) THANK YOU!!!

As long as they test in person, why not?

Often the case is made for online classes being the only option for some students. It means the difference between not getting a diploma and getting one. There are situations in schools all the time when classmates make it impossible due to drugs, harassment, violence, and an inadequate teaching staff. A lot of districts get what they pay for and often they hire people who don't want to move to Texas or other better paying states. These new hires come in bitter and have little passion about teaching and more interest in 3pm arriving. On the flip side you have great teachers investing their lives in their work and have more passion toward their job than any other career choice. They get a student who cannot learn in a traditional 4 walled room. The fluorescent lights, noisy a/c, and intimidating blackboards make for a negative learning experience. It just becomes necessary to study at home in a comfortable situation away from drugs, guns, violence, yelling, harassing, and everything else.

Like Judie said, for the majority - No. Most students should have to endure the hardships that all of us went through in high school.

For the majority I would say no, but there are special cases.For a child who is home-schooled all the way, then on-line classes help take up the slack in an area where the home teacher may not be adequately proficient. Then there may be kids who have to travel a great distance, like out in the country. With the price of gas, their school system could save money by only running buses 2 or 3 times a week and allowing on-line lessons the rest of the time. My daughter is in an industry that is constantly changing (media demographics) so she has to make room for an hour-long webcast once a week. I was in one of the first classes via TV in the city when I was in high school. The teacher wasn't around to monitor us, so I just goofed off. I barely passed. So I think even with on-line classes there should be an adult to monitor and observe their attention. I've seen some webcasts that were better teachers than those in the class room. This is really a hard issue for me to say just yes or no.