Opinion
Ed-Tech Policy Letter to the Editor

Virtual Schooling and Socialization

September 20, 2005 1 min read
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To the Editor:

In regard to “virtual schools” (“Governors’ Group Issues School Choice Advice,” Aug. 18, 2005):

Where in virtual schools do socialization skills come into play? A student cannot be taught how to shake hands properly, look people in the eye when speaking to them, or, for that matter, show any interpersonal skills, which are already lacking in many of our students.

Human-to-human touch has been proven to be important for a person’s healthy mental and physical growth. Remember the experiments in which infant monkeys chose furry, cloth-covered wire “mothers” over bare metal ones? We should not be too quick to allow our humanity to slip away.

Darcy Davis

Thousand Oaks, Calif.

A version of this article appeared in the September 21, 2005 edition of Education Week as Virtual Schooling And Socialization

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