The current higher education tuition debate in this country is missing the key issue: Our current secondary education system was developed for an economy that virtually no longer exists in this country. In order to assure that more young people succeed economically in this country, we must reexamine our approach to secondary and higher education. Like many fiscal conservatives, I was initially appalled at Bernie Sanders' proposal to offer free four-year college to every young person in the United States. My fiscally conservative brain cells kicked into action, screaming "The country cannot afford that type of additional expense." Now, I have come to the conclusion that the country cannot continue to thrive without that type of additional investment in our country's best assets, our young people. That said, every young person is not a good fit for a traditional college education and they have to put some skin in the game to make "free" higher education a reality.
Here is my proposal: Instead of ending secondary education at grade 12, our country should extend required education by an additional two years. If, at the end of grade 12, a student has a grade point average of 3.0 or above, they can chose to go to a technical college for two years or a community college for two years at the taxpayers' expense. If a student has a grade point average below 3.0, they can automatically enter technical college or opt to take remedial classes in writing, math or science to prove they are capable of succeeding at the community college level, all at the taxpayers' expense. As a society we need to change our mindset, technical college graduates are every bit as valuable to our economy as college graduates, and, in some cases, more valuable. Simply put, there is no shame in graduating from a technical college. More on this point later in my diatribe.
Regardless of the path taken, technical college or community college, the tax payers will take on the burden of paying tuition and books but not room and board. In exchange, students must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average. In addition, students must put some skin in the game, too. There should be no such thing as a free ride when the taxpayers are footing the bill. Students must commit two years service to Americorps or the US military, upon leaving school. There, they will learn valuable job and people skills, and serve their country.
For students who wish to continue their higher education beyond the additional required two years, the taxpayers again will shoulder the financial burden, provided the student maintains at least a 3.0 grade point average and enrolls in a state university. The taxpayers will not pay room and board and there will be a mandatory three-year service commitment. Again, there should be no free ride when the taxpayers are paying tuition bills. Should students wish to enroll in private colleges and universities, they or their parents can shoulder that financial burden entirely, without assistance from taxpayers. Of course, there will be no mandatory civil or military service commitment for these privileged young people. But my hope is that private employers will look down on a young person who submits a resume that is missing the service experience.
Education is the key to the US maintaining its leading position around the globe. We must reshape our educational system to recognize that ending education at the conclusion of the twelfth grade is almost always a recipe for living paycheck to paycheck (or worse) in today's economy. Additional education is the best investment we can make in our country. While we can debate the meaning (and merit) of Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan, the statistics don't lie. Citizens who have more education do better economically and have more options if their employers go out of business, downsize, or move jobs out of this country. Economic stability is good for individuals, marriages, families, communities, and the country.
It is time for this country to reexamine our mindset that most of our children must obtain a four-year college degree. The reality is that many of our young people have four-year degrees that are of no economic benefit to them. Further, many of our young people are not wired to sit through four years of college and thrive academically. As a country we should celebrate the technical college graduate's diploma just as much as we enthusiastically celebrate the university graduate's diploma.
Today, we are forced to import welders from other countries to work on large industrial construction projects in this country. These are high paying jobs with good benefits. Likewise, our skilled trade workers (electricians, iron workers, machinists, etc.) are aging out. Again, these are high paid positions. An electrician or iron worker on a public prevailing wage project can earn more than $85.00 per hour, with benefits. How much does the Starbucks worker with a four-year college degree in history earn per hour?
My oldest son graduated with a four-year degree in history from a Senior Military College. But for the fact that he commissioned as an active duty Army officer upon graduation, I am certain my son would have been forced to move back home after graduation and live in my basement. The pride my husband and I felt as our son walked across the stage to pick up his diploma would soon have been replaced with angst about his economic future and getting him off our dole as soon as possible. He, like many others, will eventually be forced to go to graduate school, if he wants to maximize his earning potential. Fortunately, the US military will likely make that opportunity available to him.
Burdening our young people with extraordinary debt is a threat to our country's stability. The rust belt and rural voters are angry at Washington, in part, because they are struggling financially. Putting aside arguments that many of these voters have made poor personal choices and live above their means, many of them have a high school education at best. When the window manufacturing plant shut down in Wisconsin and moved to Mexico or the steel plant shut down in Ohio and moved steel fabrication to China, these Americans lost their union jobs. They do not have transferable skills because their education stopped on the day they picked up their high school diploma. Much like the craft worker (the candle maker, the weaver, etc.) was left behind when the industrial revolution changed our country's economy, these factory workers have been left behind as our country has shifted to a service and technology-driven economy.
Whether you believe that we need to make America great again or, at a minimum, make it better for the working class and our young people, we need to reexamine how we educate our young people. This will take courage on the part of our public officials in Washington and in our respective state capitols. I can safely say that I will never vote for Bernie Sanders, but his free tuition proposal might have legs, assuming his followers are willing to put skin in the game. I am skeptical about whether Donald Trump can morph into a competent leader, but I am confident that this is the type of change the Donald could get behind and champion.
