Knowledge is power. This phrase holds true even till today, and will most likely hold true for all of eternity. The more knowledgeable a particular person is, the more power they posses. Now it is no mystery that the public school education system has and is failing many of this country's youth, but what is a mystery is how to solve this conundrum and fix America's public education system. One of society's most powerful tools is the internet, so why not use it to help educate our youth? Some teachers have seen this resource and decided to take advantage of it and help educate their class with various online videos and websites. But why not take it one step further, and use this marvelous resource to our advantage and help teach students online? Some schools have taken the initiative to do precisely that, and now offer classes online for students to take, also known as distance learning. Distance learning benefits students by allowing them more flexibility and versatility to learn, adds more positive options for learning, and removes certain restrictions and concerns that come from having to attend a physical location for an education.

Life is extremely unpredictable. Anything can happen that might withhold a student from being able to attend school, ranging from a fatal car crash or something as simple as pressing the snooze button a few too many times. Sometimes life dictates that going to school isn't going to happen. By allowing students to move the classroom from their classroom to their house, they are able to have more flexibility and versatility in their lives and receive the proper education they require. Online classes makes getting an education easier for students. Why wouldn't that be a positive? If classes start at 7:30, students may have to wake up as early as 5:00 in order to get themselves prepared for the day. If a student doesn't take the bus, online classes free up the students parents, and allows them to have one less responsibility in their, possibly, extremely busy day. It also saves them money, whether it be for gas or for a taxi. It frees up the student, by giving them the opportunity to not have to get dressed. It may take 30 minutes or even an hour for a student to shower and get dressed, but by removing this routine, that is an extra hour that the student is able to sleep. Many argue that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but by requiring students to attend a class somewhere else, many students sacrifice eating, in order to arrive to class on time, yet online classes can help students enjoy the benefits of breakfast. Online classes make students lives more flexible and versatile by allowing them to decide when to take the class.

One could argue, that the internet is the greatest resource available. Unlike a book, information on the internet can be updated and corrected, without having to print and buy an entirely new book. The internet is also free, and provides various explanations that can cater to various different people and their learning styles. But many teachers restrict their class, by not taking advantage of this marvelous resource. While in class students must learn by any means the teacher uses, and if the teacher fails to explain a certain topic, the student suffers. In class, students can not search up a subject on the internet, it would most likely be a disaster if they could. Many students don't even ask questions, because they are afraid of humiliation, and if they do, they do not continue to inquire if they are still confused because they don't want to frustrate their teacher or look unintelligent. With the internet, this doesn't occur. Users are able to ask the "dumbest" questions imaginable, free of judgment. It also allows them to be more thorough, thus allowing them to better understand the subject and content better. All of this is possible with online classes, because students can rely on the internet to get accurate information, explained to them in a multitude of ways. If they don't like one websites explanation, they can look at another. The internet provides a variety of different websites to learn from, thus, allowing more options for students. Some could argue that a person could teach better than a book or website, and while this is true to an extent, online school doesn't remove the teacher, it only allows for another option, which is always a positive. If students still want to go to class, they still can.

Having brick and mortar institutions comes with its restrictions. Whether it be a bank or a school, having institutions online makes life easier. Classes are held at a certain time period, and while this may be a plus for some, this definitely comes with restrictions. If a student doesn't arrive on time or misses the day, there is nothing more that they can do. With online classes, students are able to still learn and possibly learn even better than in class. Another issue many schools face is harassment, and online classes can help with this as well. Even though it is important for students to learn how to act and react in social settings, if a student is being harassed by a group of students, they now have the option to be able to avoid them altogether. A classroom is restricted by the teaching style of a teacher. If students aren't compatible with a teachers teaching style, they have to figure out a way to solve their problem on their own. Online classes remove the middle man, and allow students to learn on their own.

Education is vital and key to the success of any nation. If humanity hopes to survive, it must be able to adapt and learn to evolve the systems already in place to try and improve society, such as the education system. By using one of humanities greatest accomplishments, the internet, schools can vastly improve, in turn, improving society as a whole. Distance learning is beneficial because of the flexibility it allows, the opportunities it offers, and the restrictions it disables.