When one of Julia’s sons was assaulted in his classroom and another was embarrassed in front of his class by his teacher on the same day last spring, Julia Lindsay knew it was time to find a better way to educate her children.
She quickly discovered virtual education through the MOCAP program and tried to enroll her sons immediately. She was met with seemingly unending resistance from her district despite the shutdown of schools as a result of the pandemic. She finally gained approval for her sons to enroll in virtual education, but when she tried to get the school to sign the required forms for her daughter as well, she was banned from school property and told she could only communicate with the district superintendent.
Despite those issues, all three of her children are thriving this fall in the Missouri Virtual Academy, one of the main offerings through MOCAP.
“My young children are learning more in our home than they ever did in the local school district,” said Julia. “In the MOCAP public school option with MOVA, I know that my children are learning the academic skills that they need to be successful in their every day and their future. I know that they are safe, and their kind spirits nurtured. I know that they are not sitting in class hungry, sick, or timid. They know what they need to do everyday, and they know that I am always here to help them succeed, with each of their teachers right along side me.
“I am so glad that we had this choice and I only wish that I knew of it sooner,” she added. “The MOCAP law has completely changed many families. I’ve heard so many great stories. I want to thank everybody for giving parents a choice in how we educate and how we raise our family.”