Education: A Reasonable Option for the Future?

An article in the L.A. Times by Carla Rivera and Larry Gordon states that yesterday, March 1^st, “occupy movements” were held at several college campuses as a result of the budget cuts on education and rising tuition. The turnout of demonstrators varied across campuses including UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, Cal State Long Beach, and Cal State L.A. There were luckily no arrests and no violent acts during these occasions; most classes were not disturbed, except for some being sparingly canceled as students and professors could not get past the protesters on some campuses. Students that were a part of the demonstrations feel as though they are not getting the quality of education both expected and guaranteed to them by their school even though tuition costs and fees continue to increase exponentially. 

Students and most, if not all, of their parents have sacrificed and invested everything possible for the best life chances they can get—this including education for themselves or their children. Most parents do not have an income sufficient to put their children through college; they rely on as much financial aid as they can get. But what happens when that’s not enough anymore? At the rate that tuition is increasing across the U.S., is education going to continue to be a reasonable option for many in the future?  As much hard work and sacrifices as students and parents are making to attain the best education colleges need to start listening to what students are trying to say. Isn’t it at least an equal trade that students receive the level of education they deserve for all the income schools receive on their behalf? 

By: Vanessa Torres

Article can be found at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-student-protests-20120302,0,3924235.story