Virtual techniques may become permanent part of educational approach for some schools. By Terry Falk - May 28th, 2021 12:42 pm //end headline wrapper ?> Laptop. (CC0 Public Domain). “Virtual education is not working.” Parents in tears, often angry, asked these questions of school board members across the state. They described how their children are in despair and have given up on virtual education. Some have been become suicidal. Has virtual education been a major failure? Is it time to end it or are there useful lessons to learn from virtual education? Janice Mertes has seen the frustration coming from school districts in her role as Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning. She oversees digital, blended, and virtual education. She believes that next year “most schools understand that they are going to have to have a virtual learning option.”