So let’s get the facts straight. The state steals money from taxpayers to pay for college education. Now state says, “hey, students, we can’t steal more money, so, we’re gonna have to charge you guys more money.” The students get angry and protest.
Don’t tase me bro!
The students have a poor understanding of the fiscal situation California is in. I had a discussion in my political science class about the availability of classes next semester, and ways of guaranteeing trasfer to a four-year university, and few students have a real idea in the dire straits they are about to be plunged into. The community college I currently attend (and, assuming I pass all my classes, this and next semester will soon get out of) has cut ~25% of classes for Spring 2009. There was a fairly large demonstration near the administration building in an attempt to persuade the administration to fund the classes that were cut with the savings the school had accumulated. Few students understand that this is not just a current problem. The fiscal situation is bound to get worse in the next years (even my political science professor suggested that it would last into the next year, and then probably correct itself; her opinion is erroneous), and so it’s not very realistic for the community college to use their savings just to satiate the needs of students temporarily. The problem is that the school is not willing to increase the price of tuition enough to cover costs, because that would not be very egalitarian (I guess). So, instead, it screws students out of an education… but, at least it’s cheap, right?
Unfortunately, the school I am transferring into is suffering from the same ignorance. Prices increased by 30%, I believe, but that is still not enough to cover costs, and state funding is running low. As much as it would make my ability to pay for school on my own dime much more difficult (nearly impossible, except through loans), I would much rather be guaranteed that I can pay to graduate in two years, than wait three or four because there are not enough classes available at the current prices (the only real cause of a shortage of prices is that they are underpriced).
Students do not understand these concepts, and probably prefer not to understand them. Getting things for free sounds like a better alternative.
They look confused…
I bet its because they can’t reconcile their love for big brother when he hurts them.
I guess these aren’t the students who support Ron Paul.
When I see stuff like this, I know we’re heading for full blown Socialism!
This.
The French Revolution was launched because, to some extent, so many groups had become parasites on the state that it was going bankrupt. Of course, it would have been obvious to cut everything all at once and save the regime, but that’s not how the process works. Some people (typically the weakest) lose their privileges first, and try to fight back against what they perceive is a gross injustice.
This eventually unfolds until the collapse of the system. It wasn’t different in the USSR or Argentina.