This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
The concept of it being a socialist plot is a relatively recent phenomenon. The U.S. was the first to provide tax-paid public education through high school, and it was designed to produce an educated society that would be actively involved in governing itself and a skilled work force for the private sector to draw upon. It was considered quite radical by other countries, until they saw the egalitarian meritocracy it produced in the 19th century begin outstripping other economies. Then various states began introducing the concept of publicly funded state colleges to make their residents even more competitive and attract major employers. It was a major thrust of post-war California that fueled its growth into the 6th largest economy in the world (if we could shed the other 49 states). When I went to the University of California there was no tuition; only $50/semester "incidental" fees. The concept got derailed during the backlash against the student protests of the 1960s. Conservatives began cutting public education budgets everywhere, but particularly at the college level. Even 2 year junior colleges which were designed primarily to provide free vocational training and free academic basics for those transferring on to four year colleges saw their budgets slashed. All colleges had to begin hiking fees, recruiting foreign and out of state students to collect higher tuitions, at the same time as other developed economies moved to providing publicly funded college to their citizens. Putting us at an economic disadvantage, impacting immigration visa competitions, and creating the whole Federal student loan farce that is now in crisis condition. So the solution, it seems, is to call free education a socialist plot rather than recognizing that it started out as a capitalistic investment to create a more competitive and skilled workforce. Got killed in retaliation to all those socialist students. So the mess we have today is because of the socialists and the proposed solution of going back to free upper education is a socialist plot.
Diotrephes · 70-79, M
@dancingtongue Resistance to education is a backlash against school integration. Some people would rather sink the whole system than allow Black students to benefit. You see it happening today in the court cases whining about how admitting Black students discriminates against Asian students.
That whine seems to have gotten more traction than the usual one where White students were whining about how a Black student got admitted to the university instead of them.
The deal is that by admitting countless foreign students there are far fewer seats for American students, of whatever race. That hurts the country and is an attack upon its citizens.
That whine seems to have gotten more traction than the usual one where White students were whining about how a Black student got admitted to the university instead of them.
The deal is that by admitting countless foreign students there are far fewer seats for American students, of whatever race. That hurts the country and is an attack upon its citizens.
Doomflower · 36-40, M
@dancingtongue this was excellently written
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@Diotrephes [quote]Resistance to education is a backlash against school integration.[/quote]
That was/is happening as well, and certainly played/plays a role as well. But the major funding cuts to the funding of the Cal State College system as well as the UC system initiated on Governor Reagan's watch were purely political: the tear gas didn't get them to submit, so stop feeding the beast -- to borrow a favorite slogan of the taxpayer revolution.
That was/is happening as well, and certainly played/plays a role as well. But the major funding cuts to the funding of the Cal State College system as well as the UC system initiated on Governor Reagan's watch were purely political: the tear gas didn't get them to submit, so stop feeding the beast -- to borrow a favorite slogan of the taxpayer revolution.