Online learning has rapidly become a major part of modern-day education, with almost all high schools offering online courses, and every teacher uploading notes on school websites. Many educators argue that students are more than capable of learning from the comfort of their own home, rather than in a crowded, large classroom. "Flipped" classrooms have also risen, with students taking notes and doing work at home, and then reviewing during class time. Many new issues, however, can arise when students take courses from their own home. Students would not benefit from being able to attend classes from home because households are not suitable atmospheres for learning, having real teachers is more beneficial for the learning process, and it encourages academic dishonesty.

Primarily, students would not benefit from taking classes from home because households do not provide a suitable atmosphere for learning. The main point of school buildings is to have a steady spot where the young student mind knows it must focus on classwork and asking questions. Over 75% of students set up a desk or work space of some sort in their homes where they go to stay on task. Similarly, school buildings provide a space where the primary focus is learning. That atmosphere is created through regulations, such as no phones during lecture, or no talking during quizzes. At home, the student is entirely in charge of their own learning process, which would naturally cause them to get distracted often. Adult minds easily slip off task when they get a notification on their phone, and younger minds are even more likely to get distracted. One notification is enough to divert a student's attention completely. The average student spends at least 5 hours on their phone a day, checking messages, posts, and videos. In a school building, teachers and staff are available to keep students on task, while at home, constant distractions can easily alter the focused atmosphere.

Another reason why students would not benefit from taking classes from home is because having real teachers is more beneficial for the learning process. It is a common known fact that talking through a problem offers more opportunity for growth and understanding. Although a course's material may be looked through over and over online, most students require a teacher to clear up a topic or review difficult concepts with. In a household setting, a student's questions may remain unanswered, especially if it is about a specific topic or question. Having a teacher or professor available makes it easier for teachers to fully explain any topic for any student having difficulties. By having lingering questions, students continue making the same mistakes out of habit, even if the question was answered later on. In a household, the absence of a teacher makes it difficult for a student to clear up any misunderstandings or questions, thereby negatively impacting their learning process.

Lastly, taking classes from home would not be beneficial for students because it would encourage academic dishonesty. Unfortunately, almost 80% of adults admit to cheating their way through online courses taken through college. Whether it is because of too much stress or simple laziness, courses taken at home, with the absence of any guidelines, make it incredibly easy for a student to cheat on any assignment or exam. Not only does this ruin the education process, but it creates a habit of dishonesty in a person that is difficult to break. Almost every student reprimanded for cheating in high school cheats again within the next 13 months, and eventually the cycle carries on into the workplace. At a house, every answer is just one click away, and the student has no consequence for cheating. Not only does the student not learn, but they continue to keep the notion that dishonesty still brings rewards.

In conclusion, although online learning has a few benefits, it's overall impact is detrimental to a student's learning process and habits they carry on through life. A household is incapable of providing the same atmosphere that a school provides for learning, and the presence of teachers and staff give a clear way for students to communicate and fully understand topics they may struggle with. Although technology has advanced enough for students to comfortably study and learn, the risks that accompany online learning outweigh the benefits by far, and therefore online courses and learning are detrimental to not only students now, but society in the future.