haha, why the hell should education be free?

2/12/2011 9:27:58 PM

Didn't you hear? It's a right.

It's in the Constitution after the Good N' Plenty Clause.

2/12/2011 9:30:22 PM

Bridget, this is what I wanted a source for:

Quote :

"They represent like ten percent of the student population, and they take out over a quarter of the federal loans, and it's estimated that by next Fall, they'll be receiving more money in federal Pell grants than all traditional schools combined. "

2/12/2011 10:49:10 PM

Quote :

"How many worthless projects does NCSU have going? Remodeling the library (years past), Talley, the book store, demolishing Harrelson, etc. Stuff that doesn't have to be done right now, but they are doing it. It's like the people in charge have no concept of wants, needs, and taking care of frivolous things when there's plenty of money to go around and postponing them when there isn't."

Probably because behind the scenes these projects have been in the works for several years due to planning, permits, zoning, construction, and blueprinting. Money was already spent and budgeted on the project, promises and contracts were already made and signed.

By the time you see the actual construction, they are in the final phase of the project.

[Edited on February 12, 2011 at 11:00 PM. Reason : .]

2/12/2011 10:58:52 PM

^^That was the one thing that seemed really, really obvious. Here you go:

Ten Percent Taking a Quarter

Quote :

"The 31% of FTE undergraduate students in public two-year colleges received 31% of the total Pell Grant funds in 2008-09, but these students received much lower percentages of all other forms of federal aid. The 10% of all FTE postsecondary students enrolled in for-profit institutions received 28% of the unsubsidized and 25% of the subsidized Stafford Loans, compared to 6% and 8%, respectively, for the 27% of all FTE students enrolled in public two-year colleges."

http://trends.collegeboard.org/downloads/Student_Aid_2010.pdf
Page 16 has a startling graph and all that.

Pell Grants: (just in case you wanted it again)

Quote :

"Two years ago, students at for-profit trade schools received $3.2 billion in Pell grants, according to the Department of Education, less than went to students at two-year public institutions. By the 2011-12 school year, the administration now estimates, students at for-profit schools should receive more than $10 billion in Pell grants, more than their public counterparts. (Those anticipated increases may shrink, depending on the outcome of wrangling in Congress over health care and student lending.)"

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/business/14schools.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2

2/12/2011 11:38:03 PM

which one had the prediction showing they will take more pell grants than all traditional institutions combined?

[Edited on February 12, 2011 at 11:40 PM. Reason : .]

2/12/2011 11:40:11 PM

Quote :

"haha, why the hell should education be free? "

Because it's the engine that drives the future?

Because the US would become dominated by other countries if we started to lag behind too badly education (this process is already happening)?

The only way to make sure we remain a super-power is to have the best-educated people.

2/12/2011 11:41:51 PM

^^Replace "traditional" with "public." My bad. I wrote it at 3 in the morning.

Quote :

"BridgetSPK: and it's estimated that by next Fall, they'll be receiving more money in federal Pell grants than all traditional public schools combined."

This still represents a big problem...you agree?

2/12/2011 11:45:53 PM

None of those are reasons for it to be "free".

2/12/2011 11:50:11 PM

It should be free to anyone that can make/keep certain grades.

It definitely shouldn't just be "free."

2/13/2011 12:10:41 AM

I don't wanna pay for affluent people to go to school just cause they can make good grades though!

2/13/2011 12:33:02 AM

Quote :

"The only way to make sure we remain a super-power is to have the best-educated people."

And the only way to have the best-educated people is to throw as much money as possible at the teachers unions so they are happy to teach (that is, happy to get a bi-monthly paycheck) and don't have to worry about getting fired.

For anything.

Ever.

2/13/2011 12:37:14 AM

So they have to be poor and smart in order for them to have free school?

2/13/2011 12:37:56 AM

^No, non-poor, smart kids can still get academic scholarships.

^^Good point. I don't think it really relates to this thread but good point. That said, while teachers rarely get fired, they quit in droves.

Quote :

"kdogg(c): BridgetSPK, that's a lot of information. Could you also put up some kind of link that shows how much tax payer money goes to educate people who live here illegally? kkthx"

It's not a lot of information. That rbrthwrd guy just asked me to source it all for some reason.

Anyway, there are supposedly like ten states that give in-state tuition to some illegal/undocumented immigrants, which is nice considering many of them have lived in the state long enough to be considered residents if they were legal, they or their parents have worked and paid taxes, and unlike everybody else, they don't qualify for any federal aid. People opposed say it costs California 200 million/year to allow in-state tuition in these circumstances. The universities claim that less than one percent of their students get in-state tuition under this provision, and that the 1 percent also includes US citizens who get in-state tuition because they went to high school in CA but no longer hold residency.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/15/local/la-me-illegal-students-20101116

California is probably gonna spend the highest amount on this, and 200 million seems extreme, but just to be generous to your "point," let's assume it's 200 million for illegal immigrants in each of the ten states. So nationwide that's 2 billion dollars a year for illegal immigrants to get in-state tuition in the same places where they attended high school and their parents paid taxes...just like everybody else who receives in-state tuition.

[Edited on February 13, 2011 at 2:34 AM. Reason : ]

2/13/2011 2:32:46 AM