Free community college for all?

[LuckyTheDog]

Thesis: Society would be better off in the long run if a community college education was provided free of charge to anyone who can pass the courses. In the long run (or less) the economic payoff would exceed the cost.

Am I full of crap here? Talk among yourselves.

[RebelDawg]

1. It already is here

in Georgia. Well its paid for by the lottery. But any kid that keeps a B average gets a free ride in any State University. Great system.

[marmar]

2. John Edwards proposed this during his presidential bid...

I agree with you completely.

[htuttle]

3. Didn't they do that in California for awhile?

Not sure if they still do, but I'd always heard that if you were a CA resident, you could go to most CA universities for free (tuition-wise, you'd still have to pay for books I think).

[pinto]

10. No longer, unfortunately. I think it's a great idea to refund.

[mopinko]

11. ronald reagan destroyed this to punish protesters

said, these hippie kids would not be causing all this trouble if they had to pay to be here. so, he started with a small tuition that has grown. it is still cheap to go to state schools in CA.

[Nikki Stone1]

13. Reagan destroyed way too much. The CC tuition is still cheap, though,

It's the textbooks that will break the bank.

[Boojatta]

14. Child development EXPERT: Tune in, Turn on, Drop out

California's governor vetoed as too expensive legislation that could have allowed tens of thousands of unusually bright youngsters to ... (take their compulsory education in the form of college classes paid for by the government).

Thomas Spencer, who studies child development at San Francisco State University, says academic success is a narrow measure of a child.

"I don't think a child of eight or 10 or 13 belongs in Harvard," says Spencer.

Source:
Footing The Bill For Gifted Kids

Nobody can prove that Spencer ever said this: "Dark-skinned races, cathy-licks, and jooz also don't belong in our Ivy League institutions." As Fleischer said, all Americans need to watch what they say.

[queenbdem87]

4. Sounds good to me

I think that a college education should be available just as easily as public grade-school education (though it would not be required of course).

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. That's the way it was when I started college.

In 1966, I paid $0 tuition at a community college in L.A. Though, I did have to cough up a whopping $2.50 for a parking permit. And, when I started at CalState I had to dig deep for the $135.00 a semester.

[SmokingJacket]

6. I would go farther: four-year college education.

At the moment, a community college degree is most useful as a jumping-off point toward a full four-year degree. Other developed countries do this, and California did it for years.

[One_Life_To_Give]

7. Personally it wouldn't be that good

Realistically I would take a number of courses if they were free. But being honest with myself, I wouldn't put any effort into completing the course work or really trying to comprehend the material.

When I have to sacrifice something I value to take a course. I will be more selective in what courses I take. And be more contientous in not wasting my money. YMMV

[justice1]

18. I agree, there would be to many people wasting time and money.

Currently, the local tuition rate is $38.50 a credit hour. It's enough to make most students serious about classes, without putting them in debt for the next 10 years.

[MsUnderstood]

8. We have it in California (sort of)

Your tuition is paid for through BOGG (board of Governors Grant) which is based on your income. Of course you still pay for the books.

Now the question is, how high of an education do we need to provide to our citizens? What you are in effect trying to do is expand the role of public schools to move into an adult realm right?

If you expand the role of public schools you give them more responsibility with less ability (finanacially and administratively). Why not instead work to improve the publc schools so that these kids leaving those schools can get into the Colleges.

[flamin lib]

9. The single most successful program was the GI Bill that gave

Vets from WWII through Vietnam a stipend to pay tuition and living expenses while getting a college education. The difference it taxes paid over the life of the Vet more than repaid the expense.

Using that as a template I think it should be offered to anyone who can maintain a full course load and passing grades.

[Mythsaje]

12. I'm absolutely with you on this...

Tuition rates have gotten WAY out of hand, and people shouldn't have to put themselves under massive debt just to go to school.

Education is the single most important thing for improving one's lot in life. I'd rather see our taxes go for this sort of thing than to bomb the crap out of brown people.

[progressivebydesign]

15. That would be crucial to future success of America.

Community college should be free. I love the state I live in now, but have been stunned at the outrageously high cost of community college here... more than triple what it was in California. One thing I LOVE about the schools here is that there are so many vocational programs in the schools... not everyone should get an academic degree, it's unrealistic. there are students who would be much happier in a trade than to get a degree that serves no purpose for them. Kids are always being pushed into universities, when it's not right for everyone.. then the kids that drop out are left trying to find some type of job. If they had good vocational education available up front, they'd be in a much more happy and productive life.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. "Anyone who can pass the courses"

This is on of the big differences between the US and other countries. In most other countries, college is either free or very inexpensive. But it is also a lot harder to get in to college. In the US, college is expensive, but just about anybody can get into a college (most community colleges will admit anyone with a high school diploma).

[Boojatta]

17. It's too expensive for the government to provide unless they eliminate

free elementary education. Elementary education is an unnecessary frill. Academic success is a narrow measure of a child.

:sarcasm: