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College and University Discussion
Shouldn't university be free for some students?
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Anonymous
While you wait for that to happen, I’ll be setting aside money to fully fund college. |
Anonymous
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I agree offering free tuition to black/Native students while doing nothing to fix the broken higher education system that fails pretty all poor students and does not serve middle class students well at all would be a huge mistake. Even if you are very progressive, surely you can see how something like that would drive a massive wedge that would only increase racism and Trumpism in this country? Think of the optics of MC and even UMC black and Native students going to school for free thanks to their lineage (and despite successful parents), while poor white students, especially in red states with struggling economies, are locked out of college altogether.
And if we made college free for some students, how is that paid for? If it's funded by a tuition increase on other students, you will just see massive resentment. I do not understand why we can't look at what many (most) other developed countries have done and ensure that there is a free college option available for any student who meets certain academic minimums, and then ensure we offer equity in primary education so that reaching those academic minimums is possible for students of all backgrounds (which absolutely includes addressing systemic racism that holds back many black and Native students). We're not talking about making Harvard free for all (thanks to their endowment, Harvard is already free for students who can gain admission if they can't afford it). We're talking about ensuring there are public colleges that are free and accessible to people who would like to learn useful skills and enter professions that need workers. It makes no sense that we would CHARGE students for that. No one should have to pay to attend college in order to become a grade school teacher, a civil engineer, a logistics professional, an office administrator, etc. If someone wants to pay for these degrees to get a more luxury educational experience, that's up to them. But if an 18 year old is like "I would like a civil engineering degree, I did well in HS math and science," it is absolutely bananas that we expect them or their parents to pay 20k a year for the privilege of doing that. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. |
Anonymous
Where did I say they were owed anything? I agree that they're not. |
Anonymous
I was thinking the same. As the daughter of European immigrants who endured discrimination, I would never compare that to being kidnapped, imprisoned and owned by another person. Or, having your people nearly wiped out and land taken. Sure, bias and discrimination are horrible, but they do not compare to what native and bkavk Americans endured. But, to answer OP, I don't know that that is feasible given the extent of interracial marriage and time passed. Not sure what the answer is. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
Same poster you responded to--Yes, if people are enslaved for centuries and held back by legal means and nooses for another, their ability to succeed might be impacted well beyond a time when means are put into place to correct those previous atrocities. Your race and mine are irrelevant for understanding that. |
Anonymous
Don't make it free. Make it equal price for everyone. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
No, because if it is free than it won't be as appreciated. You need to have some "skin in the game". Even if it is at reduced fee you have to pay something. |
Anonymous
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It doesn't have to be all or nothing. A lot of good ideas here that could be implemented.
Student loans should be interest free. We could offer to pay for classes that we want people to take - science, math, engineering, what have you. We can incentivize community college more compared to private universities. We could offer programs similar ot ROTC. Give us x years of some kind of public service after graduation, debt wiped out or reduced. And yes we can offer more scholarships to people who come from historically disadvantaged groups such as enslaved people and indigenous people. |
Anonymous
Hmm, wealthy students having college paid for by mom & dad, kids on full merit scholarships & kids on full need-based financial aid often excel despite having little to no “skin in the game.” Kids also excel while attending public k-12 that they aren’t paying a dime for. |
Anonymous
You are awfully sheltered. Kids have no control over who they are born to. |
Anonymous
Do tell me what “skin in the game” a kid attending an $85,000 private college paid for in full by mom & dad has. |
Anonymous
| Some people don’t think K-12 should be free. |
Anonymous
Right, poor kids shouldn’t go to school. They should just dig ditches & work in Amazon warehouses all day starting in K. |