Education in America

Can you think of any reason, any reason at all, that the United States of America refuses to pay for the education of its children?

My neighbor was complaining to me that his son would incur thousands and thousands of dollars in debt if he attends graduate school. This is on top of the $30,000 he already owes for his undergraduate degree. I am sure this is no isolated situation. Why would a country that esteems education and prides itself on its educational achievments cripple it's children with financial debt?

American children, like children the world over, want to grow and learn; they want to make a good life for themselves, have a career, a profession, a trade that they are proud of. American children want to have a nice home, cars, all the new technology. Someday they want to have their own children, and they want only the very best for their children-to-be.

In Europe the people have made different decesions for their children. They have decided that since education is one of the most significant and profound things they can do for their children, they provide free education from start to finish. Free. When their children graduate from school, they have a profession or trade, and can start their lives unburdoned by staggering debt. European people, wether French, Norwegian, English, German, all believe that education should be a benefit of citizenship. They believe their children are worth an increased tax base if it will give them the solid headstart every child deserves.

Makes sense doesn't it?

But not in America. If you mention 'free education', conservative Americans curl their upper lip and sneer, "Socialism". Can't provide free education because that would be evil 'Socialism'. Where in the world did this paralyzing and irrational fear of Socialism come from? Well, that's for another column. America refuses to fund the education of its children.

America is guided by many myths. As with most myths, the American Myths are based on lies. I have heard all my life that, here in America, we prize education and we urge our children to gain all the education they can stand.

If that were true, why don't we pay for it? Why have we increased college tuition to the point that most middle class and all poor people can't afford it? Why have we cut any form of college tuition aid to near zero? Why don't we have full scale free technical schools available for children who don't want a college degree but do want to learn a trade? When European children come out of school they have a guaranteed trade or profession, ready to take their place in society. When an American graduates from high school they get exactly zip. Nothing. They are trained for nothing and have few if any skills. Some will get a decent basic education and use it for college. The majority will graduate from high school without a clue of what they can do next. We don't educate our children, we test them, pass them through, and forget about them.

America has failed its children.

Why? Americans love our children. We do. We want the best for them as do other parents in other lands. So why do we treat our children so miserably?

Capitalism.

This is not a democracy. This is not a country that places the welfare of its people at a high level. This is an oligarchy, a tyranny, a land ruled by the wealthy elite who make the decesions on what happens here. Having a poor and ill-educated citizenry works well for the elite. They have workers desperate for employment, with few skills, and willing to take low pay. They have workers that can be trapped by the system to serve the system. A citizen who graduates college is so burdened by debt that they have no choice but to do as the system demands. They go into profession that pay the most, only because it is survival. The result of this is that many of the jobs crucial to a vibrant and free society are left unfilled. Americans cannot afford to do the work they love, and work that is needed, because they are indentured to the system. So, they study for and take professions that only serve the needs of the Capitalistic system. Bankers, Brokers, Stock Brokers, Lawyers, Accoutants, corporate shills and MBA's whose only function is to keep the system alive.

By forcing American students to assume the staggering financial burden of higher education you bond these students to the capitalistic system.

Indentured servitude.

And it doesn't matter if it is the parents who pay, because it is just as useful to the wealthy elite to have the parents in economic slavery as it is the kids.

Additionally, a poorly educated citizenry is much easier to control and to manipulate. By keeping the costs of college education beyond the reach of most Americans, and by placing those who do make it through in serious debt, you ensure that only the elites have choice and freedom.

The mythology of America is that we are a free people. A truly free people are people that can make decesions that are grounded in reality and need, rather than ideology and custom. If we were truly free, Americans would have universal education, affordable housing, affordable medical care, pensions, and peace. But we don't because the needs of Americans count for nothing to the ruling elite.