The California Education Student Riots
The Me Generation Protests in Favor of Themselves
From the news media, one would think that all of the University of California campuses and students are demonstrating against the planned and recent mandatory California education cuts. Hmmm...just what to they think will happen from the result of this protest that is in favor of itself? Do they really think it is that easy to to shift funding, change the debt from one in the deep red into black, or even break even?
The students need a reality check:
These demonstrations are not about the same issue as the riots in the 60s and 70s about real justice, equality, foreign policy. The students are not, in the least, even oppressed, or in most cases, deprived. They are all in school via loans, parent's savings, grants. Most are there from the government policies that made it available.
They, like all the students before them, are NOT entitled to a college education. It is not a right. Last year, California was forced to cut $600 million in education targeting all the UC campuses (a total of 33, when counting UC and State Colleges). Later, the UC Regents, Trustees suffered cutbacks, raised tuition, furloughed teachers. To repair the shortfall, UC was forced to raise tuition by 32%, some think that is racial discrimination, how? Not everyone can afford to go to a UC campus, the State Colleges are just as good and far cheaper. Just where is the funding going to come from? higher taxes? wishful thinking? higher tuition? more cuts?
Even with budget cuts, California will spend $3 billion for the UC system. That is about $13000 for every student. In comparison, University of Illinois devotes $10000 per student, while NY is $6000 per student at the college level. So, California is still spending the most per student.
Even as California faces more cuts, spending on college education increased 12%. The students, at least 25% of them, were not even students. Big surprise. A small group of a hundred or so, began peaceful until the "non-students" led them into major interstate highways halting traffic in both directions. What exactly did this accomplish, as far as in reducing costs? Nada. It was only at a few campuses that regular student activity was disrupted. It only made the many taxpayers already being hit by the deficit, job loss, pissed off at the selfish students. So, they have to pay more for education? Geez, property taxes also went up. "Cry baby cry, make your mother sigh, your old enough to know better, so cry baby cry" ( The Beatles, 1968 White Lp).
All the greedy students want is money. Money from a busted state doing what it can just to break even to be given to them so they can complete thier education dream that they think it is their right to have. Where in the Bill of Rights does it say anything about the right to have a college education???
Intelligent students know that protesting will not generate the extra millions needed to bring down the tuition fees. They know little can be done and whining about it is pointless. The only thing they can do is to get another loan, another grant, another job, or ask mom and dad for more cash. It has been that way since the UC system started in the 20's. It is simply worse now.
Get over it.
