Families should provide more for education

This is an open letter to the California Faculty Association referring to CommonSense4Ca.org:

I have objections to your current TV clip. Over your Web site, it is extremely difficult to find a path to voice an "opposing opinion."

Your current video clip being shown in the Sacramento-Stockton area major television stations has one pitch that I vehemently object to as entirely self-serving on your organization's part and misleading the public mindset.

The short statement that "100,000 will be denied the opportunity to go to college," is an inflammatory mis-statement and only promotes the ridiculous "entitlement" mentality that has gone way too far in our current culture.

What is left of the dwindling base of taxpayers who just can't afford to provide for all the entitlements that some want to promote for their own self-serving interests? Where in the world has personal responsibility gone? It is not the responsibility of the taxpayer to provide for "all people" to be able to go to college. What about the responsibility of the students' parents and the students themselves?

My background on this issue is that both my wife (of 50 years) and I came from families that put money aside to help us go to college (in California), and we both worked part-time all the way through college and high school while we obtained our degrees in teaching and in engineering. We both accomplished that end with no debt upon completion of college.

We have done the same for our two daughters who are both college graduates, and they both worked part-time throughout college and were financially assisted by our (their parents') college savings accounts that we started when they were born. Both graduated without the burden of "student loans."

Let's find a way to promote improved parenting responsibilities in this state rather than whine about the possibility of reductions in university funding.

The state Board of Education over the last 30 years has pushed an agenda that has removed way too many "practical" courses from our public school curriculum while pushing ahead with the tunnel-vision idea that going to college is the "only way." Who is going to maintain our vehicles, homes and infrastructure if we don't provided industrial arts education on a larger scale?

Jim Locke
Lodi

Reader Feedback

WCPatty wrote on Jul 10, 2009 9:20 AM:

" Excellent letter. If there is no "bank of Dad" there are scholarships and financial aid available for average students too - not just for those with a 4.0. Students and parents should contact the scholarship departments at the high schools for further info. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 10, 2009 8:33 AM:

" And I might add that Dad extended this policy to almost everything....even having a car.

If we wanted a car, we had to buy it ourselves along with the car insurance. As children, there were no bailouts from the bank of DAD. LOL! "

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wtf wrote on Jul 9, 2009 12:32 PM:

" My brother, on the other hand, had to work while going to college since he did not receive any scholarships...and yes, bank of DAD helped him some, too. However, it was our father's rule that we had to pay for the bulk of it ourselves. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 9, 2009 12:30 PM:

" I don't know the answer to that, jeff; but I will tell you that my bank of DAD only picked up a little - which is why he did it - since my schooling was "paid" for primarily through my "earning" scholarships through my own hard work and effort. "

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jeff wrote on Jul 9, 2009 8:33 AM:

" wtf, what if there is no bank of dad? some students aren't that lucky. they don't get to pick their parents, or their bank accounts, for that matter. "

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wtf wrote on Jul 9, 2009 7:58 AM:

" Agree with all the posts....excellent letter.

One thing left out, and this is how I went through school, are scholarships for academic excellence. Scholarships and financial help from the bank of DAD ;) is how I went through university. "

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heraldby wrote on Jul 9, 2009 7:43 AM:

" My daughter is a student at a State University. She lives at home and has a part time job. Recently I read in an article in the Chronicle that part of the 10% increase in fees we are paying this year will go to financial aid for other students. Not only are we now responsible for taxes and our daughters tuition, but it looks like we are subsidizing other peoples children through our daughters tuition. These hidden taxes are the worst. Who knows what the total of these types of taxes really is? "

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Bulldog wrote on Jul 9, 2009 7:20 AM:

" Jim...very good letter.

However, I would like to expand on one point you made that I disagree with. The reason that "College is the only way" these days is the failure of our high schools. Social promotion has devalued a diploma so much that it is worthless in the marketplace. When I was a teenager, a diploma was the ticket to entry into the workforce. Today, a college degree is that ticket.

We are facing some tough choices on education. But vocational ed, when combined with practical reading, math, history and science does provide the basis for solid young workers. Understanding the basics of electrical current and combustion (science) is required to work on a car. Figuring the run of a slope (math) for laying a waste pipe is essential for a plumber.

Have you looked at the cost of a good plumber? Those are good jobs, but very few of our HS grads have the basic skills to enter that field. Same with auto mechanics.

Sorry to digress from paying for college...which I agree with. "

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commonsense wrote on Jul 9, 2009 7:09 AM:

" Yes, ditto to the above and well said. Effort must come from within and not expected to be paid by others. We will all be losing our homes if the tax basis continues to grow. We wonder why business is leaving California!! And across the nation. Socialism will be the demise of the American culture. "

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