<p>gottahavefaith- It matters because it’s not their money, it’s mine. Just because it’s government-sanctioned doesn’t mean it’s not theft.</p>
<p>^ But isn’t denying the opportunity for a child to make this world a better place theft also?</p>
<p>Government funding in K-12 education is an investment. If that investment is not made, then there are many future innovators that will not get the education they need to have a chance. Eliminating funding for K-12 would inhibit the country’s future. I don’t (won’t) mind my tax dollars going to that purpose.</p>
<p>I don’t see college as a right. K-12 will give people an opportunity. They can pursue higher education if it’s necessary for their life plans. If not, then they should be competent enough to be a citizen (they should be able to communicate effectively, perform “basic” math, vote responsibly, etc. - this is an ideal as there are unfortunately high school graduates without these skills, but going to college would not be a solution for those people).</p>
<p>“College,” though maybe not a specific college, is accessible to many people. Community colleges are cheap enough, you can work while getting a degree, etc. Those who apply themselves and deserve a scholarship can get one. But the most expensive colleges cannot be feasibly open to everyone financially. But even then, financial aid is very good at some schools.</p>
<p>I believe that K-12 education should be a given. However, I don’t believe that everyone has a right to college. Going to college is a privilege, not a right. I also don’t believe that healthcare is a right either. By making so many things “rights”, a nation becomes increasingly socialistic. I am sure that is not what many people want. Whatever happened to the American Dream of making it on your own? It still exists, but increasingly less and less people are taking advantage of it. They would rather blame the government for their problems and call certain “privileges” rights. Next, you will be saying that all Americans have the right to a well-paying job and if they don’t have that job, American tax-payers will have to pay. It’s a bad road to go down.</p>
<p>^ The hard work to getting a good job kind of loses its shine when you get laid off</p>
<p>So you believe life should be perfect for everyone no matter what.</p>
<p>Christ, grow up.</p>
<p>^ No,</p>
<p>I was kidding about the laid off part.</p>
<p>I believe people should be given a chance though.</p>
<p>But that doesn’t mean you don’t work hard anymore and just wait around waiting to be served with a silver platter. I think everyone at some point in their lives have faced a rough patch in the economy. That doesn’t mean you sit around and cry and say the American Dream is too hard. (Well, you can, but not for too long.) Eventually, you have to pick yourself up and work harder than before. It’ll make the reward that much sweeter.</p>
<p>Dusterbug, who said that, exactly?</p>
<p>^ i think he was going off about what I said</p>
<p>About how it isn’t fair that sometimes hard work doesn’t lead to desired results.</p>
<p>Oh, gotcha.</p>
<p>I agree with what you said GottaHaveFaith</p>
<p>I will never forget the time I was in little India</p>
<p>We went to a small indian resturant nothing fancy.
It was almost full though with people. We sat down and ate. While I was eating the owner of the resturant was sitting back on this wall (Taking a break I presume). He looked around at his restaurant and then smiled. It was for a moment, but I’ll never forget it.</p>
<p>It’s been my goal in life to one day sit in a park and reflect on my success. It’s what keeps me going. The man who smiled at his restaurant inspired me.</p>
<p>I’m sorry for digressing, But maybe that’s who I shall be!</p>
<p>In 50 years, the bumbling old man who digresses.</p>
<p>Oh, How fun.</p>
<p>To get a good paying job you need a college degree. Of course a select few won’t need a college degree. But for a good majority of the people, or an average citizen college degree is a must to get anywhere in life these days. 50yrs ago, a high school diploma was a must, now you can’t do much with it but expect a low paying job.</p>
<p>No problem, madogmgd. That was a beautiful story. Now, we’ll wait for the next commentor to bring the thread back to the original question. :)</p>
<p>Isn’t it like 25% of people in the US who have a bachelors or higher? So no, a college degree is not “a must to get anywhere in life these days.” If the rest of those 75% had college degrees, then many people would end up being unemployed or underemployed because the US does not have an economy where everyone can have a college degree.</p>
<p>^^^ You do know the majority of the jobs lost in this recession were blue-collar jobs, or others that didnt require a degree (except Wall Street, but they’ve all but recovered)? College grads have a significantly lower UE rate (5% I believe), and industries that use STEM majors, accounting, nursing, etc have thousands of open jobs. The problem is there arent enough people with the education and/or experiece to fill those jobs. Tech and professional jobs are not nearly as scarce.</p>
<p>Our problem is not that there arent enough jobs, our problem is an inability to fill the jobs we have becasue so many people aren’t well trained for them. Our society is changing, and a college education is a near must nowadays, but the people who are being laid off don’t thave the education to take over those jobs (and why spend money training them when you can hire a freshly minted MIT or Stanford grad?)</p>
<p>Education isn’t a right. The high school educational system is not some inherent law for man. It has developed the way it has because generally parents hope for the best for their children and an educated population is ideologically in line with a republic. However, making college a requirement requires raising taxes or finding some other income stream. This creates a burden on others, diminishing their inherent rights and freedoms by paying. Here education loses its ability to be a right.</p>
<p>"I’m sorry for digressing, But maybe that’s who I shall be!</p>
<p>In 50 years, the bumbling old man who digresses."</p>
<p>They get the “best” meds in the nursing home!</p>
<p>One thing I am surprised that’s missing in these discussions is the fact that going to the European or other foreign system where college education is free is not a free-for-all for all who want to go to college. </p>
<p>While college is free for those who do attend in those systems, being able to get there or finish is far harder than in the US where around 75% of colleges and universities will take anyone with a high school diploma…and some will admit students with less.</p>
<p>In the European or foreign systems, only those who excelled academically in elementary and intermediate schools are allowed to continue on the “college track” by attending “academic high schools”. Most students who don’t make the cut end up being placed on vocational or job training which precludes them from a college education unless their families have enough money to send them to systems which gives students second chances like the US. </p>
<p>Some other colleges within those systems which allow lax admissions operate similarly to some midwest state universities in the '50s-'60s in which Profs and older friends recounted would freely accept in-state students only to flunk out up to half the entering class by the end of sophomore year. </p>
<p>In short, while there are countries which offer a free university education, they are often reserved only for the best students and/or those who survive ruthless weedout procedures once admitted.</p>