Andres Gonzalez (UC Irvine) on Educational Opportunity
March 20, 2012
Does Educational Opportunity Remain the Key to Success in the United States?
For
the
past
four
to
five
years
I
have
seen
the
University
of
California
struggle
in
a
battle
to
maintain
its
core
values
of
accessibility,
affordability,
and
quality.
However,
these
years
I
have
seen
how
in
a
declining
economy,
one
of
these
core
values
must
be
sacrificed
for
the
sake
of
the
other,
and
vice
versa.
The
constant
rise
in
tuition
has
placed
education
in
California
at
levels
unaffordable
to
most
and
thus
inaccessible
to
many
residents
of
the
state.
These
raises
in
tuition
are
implemented
in
order
to
fill
the
gap
the
State
has
created
by
decreasing
the
state
funding
of
higher
education.
At
the
same
time,
these
have
been
implemented
in
the
hopes
to
maintain
the
level
of
quality
and
prestige
the
University
prides
itself
on.
Nonetheless,
California’s
public
higher
education
system
highlights
a
broader
issue
that
is:
educational
opportunity
in
the
United
States.
In
the
past
few
years,
student
loan
debt
financing
has
surpassed
credit
card
debt
financing
in
the
United
States.
These
drastic
changes
in
financing
show
how
American
residents
are
concerned
with
attaining
a
higher
education,
but
in
return
are
drowned
in
debt.
Some
students
who
are
battling
against
the
increased
unaffordability
end
up
dropping
out
of
school
early
while
walking
away
with
insuperable
debt.
More
importantly,
a
college
diploma
is
turning
into
a
certificate
of
payment
or
receipt,
rather
than
a
scholastic
accomplishment.
If the United States wants to remain as a world power, it must find a way to create more affordable educational opportunities tailored to each individual industry or field. The middle socioeconomic class students should not be forced out of institutions that are becoming too expensive. Additionally, lower socioeconomic class students must be provided adequate K-‐through-‐12 education in order to become competitive college candidates. Affordability and accessibility are key given this economic climate. In a nation with low amounts of factory jobs (most of these being outsourced), but with high amounts of managerial and technical jobs, it is important to provide education that is competitive in this economy. Whether that is achieved via means of special trade or vocational schools, or via four-‐year institutions or community colleges. Regardless of the means, the United States must focus on advancing its educational opportunities by maintaining affordable and accessible forms of education in both the public and private sector.
If the United States wants to remain as a world power, it must find a way to create more affordable educational opportunities tailored to each individual industry or field. The middle socioeconomic class students should not be forced out of institutions that are becoming too expensive. Additionally, lower socioeconomic class students must be provided adequate K-‐through-‐12 education in order to become competitive college candidates. Affordability and accessibility are key given this economic climate. In a nation with low amounts of factory jobs (most of these being outsourced), but with high amounts of managerial and technical jobs, it is important to provide education that is competitive in this economy. Whether that is achieved via means of special trade or vocational schools, or via four-‐year institutions or community colleges. Regardless of the means, the United States must focus on advancing its educational opportunities by maintaining affordable and accessible forms of education in both the public and private sector.
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