Summer greetings from your coalition!

While we’re enjoying our summers and gearing up for another great year, our critics have turned on their propaganda machines and are taking aim at public virtual schools in Idaho – again.

These critics of public virtual schools – and parental choice in education – are dredging up a tired argument that’s nothing more than political gamesmanship and an affront to our families and the choice we’ve made for our children.

The Twin Falls Times News and, subsequently news outlets across the state thanks to a news wire service, wrote yet another negative article portraying our public schools as a drain on public resources and asserting they operate in unaccountable ways.  These are ridiculous assertions, and, as parents whose children are thriving in these innovative public schools, we should be outraged that our critics are using our children’s schools for political gain.

Here are some facts:

Our virtual schools are PUBLIC schools, accountable to us as taxpayers and parents.  If we don’t choose to attend public virtual schools, they will close.  That’s the ultimate form of accountability.

Our public schools receive far less state taxpayer support than traditional public schools – yet are held to most of the same standards for academic and financial accountability and more.  In fact, our schools do more with less.

Our schools’ meetings are open and our schools’ financial statements are transparent and open to anyone who wants to see them.  

Just like traditional schools, our schools have to pay for teachers and support staff, books and supplies, field trips, and much, much more. And, again, we do so with less financial support from the state.

Furthermore, the notion that there’s not room for private enterprise in the public sector is ridiculous.  

We challenge the critics who asked in at least one of the articles: "How much for-profit activity can you have in delivering what is in essence public education?”  

Well, here’s an answer: Ask every public school district in the state the same question.  

Inquire about where they purchase their pencils and paper, or where they buy cleaning and janitorial supplies.  Ask them about who provides their transportation services or where they purchase their textbooks and computers.  

I’m sure the critics will be shocked to learn that private companies provide these – and many more services. Public education cannot run without private enterprise. In fact, no public services could be delivered without the support of private companies.  

These arguments are nothing more than political rhetoric from those who oppose parental choice in education. And, now, our schools are forced to spend more time defending themselves against critics than investing their energies on educating our children. Where are their priorities?  

Finally, never once did the reporter or any of the critics quoted appear to ever ask us – parents and families – for our perspectives on this issue.  Because we were not asked for our views, we need to take action to make our voices heard.

So, what can you do?

Write a letter to the editor to your local paper, asking the critics of stop the war against public virtual schools. Accept our public schools as innovative choices that are serving thousands of Idaho children well.

Call your local legislator and ask him/her to support your family and your children – and their public virtual school – not to tear it down

Share your comments with the Time News via the comments section at the bottom of the article.  

Call your local talk radio host and ask him or her to challenge our critics to “look under the hood” of their local public schools and subject them to the same scrutiny as our public virtual schools.

Thank you for your continued support of our public charter schools and for being great advocates for our choice in public education!