Oddly, by some twist of logic that I have yet to figure out, the teacher still believed that CA needed to spend more money on schools, in order to improve them.

My big gripe is when school districts create artificial shortages to show their budget crisis. It’s always something basic that directly affects students – like no pencils or paper. That way people are sure to believe the district is out of money. Anyone else could see that if they fired one of the five assistant principals in one of the high schools it would cover the cost of paper and pencils.

Witness the almost invariably better performance of home-schooled children. They aren’t prodigies, just normal kids held to reasonable standards. They only look like prodigies next to their public school brethren.

The only long-term solution is to abolish public education — something the government was never meant to provide, anyway. Private schools, run as businesses without government interference, would offer incentives to teachers (more control over curricula, merit-based pay, not having to worry about coercive unions) that they don’t have now. They would also be affordable once the tax burden of public schools was lifted.

I didn’t even get started the financial aid vicious circle sham. The problem started with Pell grants (which are still lauded as something wonderful). This created two problems. One, barely qualified students get to go to college at taxpayers expense. Two, it was a cash cow for colleges.

Now colleges could spend money like a drunken sailor and the government will raise grants accordingly. No incentitive for fiscal responsibility in higher education. This in turn has lead to a spending race between colleges. Each “has” to spend more money to be “attractive” to applicants. Keeping up with the Joneses, so to speak.

The people who are screwed are the middle class who have to spend outrageously or borrow heavily just to compete in the workforce. I won’t say that this was intentional by Democrats. But who likes to keep people reliant on government money in exchange for votes?

Now with so many going on to advanced degrees, most technical fields are overwhelmed with an oversupply of overeducated workers. The worker can’t drop out of the cycle or he will be lost. Business pays what the market supports. Unfortunately, college counselors encourage students by quoting ridiculous starting salaries.

The colleges also prey on the mentality of a typical 20 year old who has no idea how difficult it is to pay off a $50K or $60K loan (or even a $10K loan). Colleges encourage students to go in hock up to their eyeballs by telling them they will make %50K right out of school.

I have seen this harsh reality in my experience of hiring. Kids come to a job expecting $50K. But even with education all the entry level jobs are $25K. The realization slowly dawns on them that they will be paying student loans off for a big chunk of their working life.

What needs to be done is eliminate the needs based grant system. Make scholarships available ONLY to those with outstanding scholastic achievement. The reason a college education is so devalued now is that colleges have had to dumb down cirricula to keep students in class(and bringing more government $ to the schools).

If the pool of degreed job applicants dropped below the job demand, then business would have to stop making ridiculous educational demands on its applicants. And you wouldn’t be forced to pay for high school (part 2) just to have a job.

Another thing, it still takes 6 mos to a year before an employee stops being an expense and becomes an asset. I really don’t know why they place so mich emphasis on education. Personally, I think it’s because they are lazy and don’t want to have to figure out the applicants worth on their own. It’s a big hiring shortcut.

BTW, I have a 4 year degree. It’s kept my resume from going into the circular file, but that’s about all.

I had hoped never ever to have to lower myself to go to college… sadly I must to get the job I want and that will provide a gate way to the end job I really want. College so far has been everything I expected and worse… Its a scam plain and simple combined with the great effect of being a brain washing camp for kids. I hear all these ppl talking about the “science process” and how important its to stay open minded… then they start talking about how global warming is solely man made. I read the books and they are written to seem “fair” but use clever wording to get their points across for in fashion that doesn’t say the 2 things are linked but when read one after another the human mind just links them together.

I also don’t believe it was business that was the main driving force… it was colleges+ the grads who were taught that anyone without their commie indoctrination card(ie a college degree) is worthless. Colleges benefit because now everyone must pay them money to get a job. This in turn expands government(and government control) and “teachers”. It opens up “nothing” jobs for idiots to fill. It also furthers socialism/communism as well as elitism. Business can now damn your indoctrination card in order to give you the privilege of being part of the elite class(managers). This evens the playing field and even tips it in favor the of socialism/communism. By having a little pass card no person through hard work and self education can reach the elite class(unless their very very smart). This is why middle/lower managers are completely worthless at anything. In the end through expanding government and causing dependence on said government and its many “welfare” programs you gain control.

Further I hear a great deal about how in a short time college will be paid for by many state just because “it’s so needed” or “education is everyone right”. College is nothing more then 2 more years of high school.

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I find this cost-cutting method by companies to be reprehensible. First the public is expected to pay for what should be a business expense. Secondly, it lowers the value of an employee in that they became increasingly replaceable. And conversely employees increasingly have less commitment to their employer. This encourages the revolving door climate of employment. One doesn’t need an MBA to understand that high turnover equals lower productivity.

Third, in the big economic picture, it requires a larger debt load on the average worker. Either a prospective employee has to assume a debt load just to be competitive, or the taxpayers subsidize him in the form of grants.

My prediction is that in the future we will have a “student loan” crisis where too many former students have incurred so much debt that a majority will never be able to pay back student loans with market rate salaries.

Who will end up bailing out the student loan industry when the debtors start defaulting by droves? It’ll be another “housing lender” type crisis like the one that we are experiencing now.

Why is Silicon Valley fighting for H1 visas? Well, simply because they have nothing else to fight for. Like my momma says “Dum is as Dum duz.”