Students Take to the Streets to Take Back Education
Students in close to 33 states will be protesting nation-wide cuts to public education funding this week through non-violent demonstrations and signature gathering. California’s students have been the hardest hit, with administrations having to suffer through close to $1 billion in cuts over the past two years. $1 billion! Classes have been cancelled, along with whole programs being dropped, setting back students years and causing thousands of dollars in unnecessary debt.
With the economy in a recession, lawmakers have had to make tough decisions about where to cut spending. However, I am certain there are several loopholes that can be closed first before education funding gets cut any more. There are so many bills that get tacked on to other important bills in order to get passed, and in that way superfluous pet projects are funded. Politicians do not want to cut money that directly affects them but have no problem cutting teachers and programs, and even closing schools. The only way the economy can turn around is if new ideas are funneled through the capitalist system. Those new idea-makers need to be nurtured in an academic environment, and if they are hindered by rising school costs and not allowed to continue with their degrees, we may continue to stay in the rut that we are in.
