LETTER: Cutting online school program unfair to students already enrolled

Although the Oct. 29 article about budget cuts doesn't mention it, I feel the state's budget cuts are unethical when it comes to Missouri Virtual Instruction Program students.

I received a letter last summer stating my children had been awarded state-funded course seats for the entire 2009-2010 school year. The letter did not state any budget/appropriation conditions for the award; therefore, one comes to feel secure with the pledge of classes awarded by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state of Missouri.

At the very least, the cut should be made at the end of the school year, not in the middle. We feel MoVip is a certified, teacher-led program that provides a challenging curriculum coupled with excellent professional instruction. The virtual program is a necessary alternative to the traditional brick-and-mortar education. Many children, such as mine, are college-bound and are provided course work that is not available at our rural school.

I would like an explanation on how the governor's integrity allows him to break a commitment made to hundreds of students across the state of Missouri? This speaks loudly to his thoughts on educating rural children and preparing tomorrow’s workforce today. He states the districts can still offer MoVip classes, but they would have to pay the state for them. Isn’t that robbing Peter to pay Paul?

Also, I wonder how much is really being saved. I’m assuming vendor contracts were awarded by school year. This leaves a small percentage of savings by firing MoVip’s state teachers while paying off the out-of-state vendors. Students or not, the vendors are owed something by the state.

Missouri is definitely taking a step backwards and will continue to slide on the forefront of attracting top educational and professional talent.