Should College Be a Constitutional Right?

by AdriHead Posted 2012/07/11 22:38:43

Related Topics: Congress, New York, Student, College, Loans, Poll, Americans, Student Loans, Partisan, York, University, US, 150 Years, Average American, rate, 67

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564 votes
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	Yes	177 votes	31%
	No	387 votes	69%

We all know student loans can be killer. And though Congress recently announced a tentative deal that would prevent student loan rates from doubling, according to a recent poll, that's still not enough for the average American.

A national poll done by the Carnegie Corporation of New York found that most Americans (76 percent) believe that access to higher education should be a constitutional right. Additionally, 67 percent believe that the cost of college is the biggest barrier to that access. It's a controversial issue, but it has to be asked: Do you think easier access to college should be a constitutional right for all Americans?

GOOD.IS reports:
A deeply divided Congress gives us little hope, but 150 years ago an equally partisan climate produced some of the nation's top public universities.

+25

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rustyshackelford 2012/07/11 23:08:27

No

+12
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More polls by AdriHead

Lanikai to rustysh... 2012/07/13 20:51:31

+1
Taxpayers, as usual.

They IGNORe the fact that federal college loans are in the BILLIONS in default cause people don't want to pay back what they borrowed for college-AFTER they get the degree.
Morons.

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Squatch 2012/07/11 23:05:46

No

+6
I agree all people should strive to better themselves, but Americans need to get out of this mentality that everything needs to be given to them. In my opinion this is why we are so far behind in education in the first place. Examples of this position would be Japan and India. People work very hard in these countries and their people excel at education.

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strawberry to Squatch 2012/07/11 23:16:49

+1
Excellent points!

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Joey to Squatch 2012/07/11 23:21:34

Most other nations have free universities .

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Bulanov... to Joey 2012/07/12 12:07:27

+3
They cannot be free. Subsidized through heavy taxes, maybe, but not free.

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Lanikai to Joey 2012/07/13 20:53:22

and high, high taxes.

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Lanikai to Squatch 2012/07/13 20:53:10

They also CARE about education whereas parents here scream at teachers fro daring to assign homework and expect it to be done.

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TheBadOne 2012/07/11 23:04:00

No

... but there needs to be a hell of a better job at allowing people free or affordable access to community colleges and public universities.

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Squatch to TheBadOne 2012/07/11 23:18:30

+4
In a way people already have free access. I know when I was finishing a few pre-req classes here in FL I spoke to a HS senior who was taking classes under a state sponsored program. She "told me" she would have around 45 free college hours by the time she graduated HS.

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jackolantyrn356 2012/07/11 22:55:03

No

+4
Last time I looked it was not a right. Why should it be that now?

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BigFig#9 2012/07/11 22:53:46

Yes

+7
If you have the grades and are pursuing a needed skill...

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strawberry to BigFig#9 2012/07/11 23:23:06

+4
Yes, if one has excellent high school grades. We should never have Affirmative Action in the United States, which rewards the stupid and lazy. Far too many college loans are handed out to undeserving. Not everyone getting a loan pays it back. Sports scholarships have to also be curtailed.

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BigFig#9 to strawberry 2012/07/12 16:48:22

I think there's a role for affirmative action type programs until we address some of the other structural disadvantages of the poor but basing those decisions solely on race (even if the kid was raised in an affluent white suburb and or attended a private school) is silly. But the real answer is to provide opportunities and environment for learning and advancement to the poor (whatever race) from day one - and we have a long way to go until we get there.

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strawberry to BigFig#9 2012/07/12 17:08:51

Affirmative Action is discrimination. When Europeans came to America, going through Ellis Island Immigration, they received no free govt. handouts. Majority came to America very poor, worked long hard hours to raise their status in life. Environment only plays one part, the rest is genetics. I lived in third world nations. All the money in the world never made them smart enough to develop their own nations. It was mainly England, Greece, Europe and America who built up many third world nations. U.S. govt. foolishly gives billions to nations that waste American money. U.S. Presidents need to live in such third world nations to learn how these people think, about their cultures, etc. We do need some Socialistic Programs in the United States for those who really have physical or mental disabilities, or lose their jobs. The welfare System became a sham of too much fraud. U.S. govt. wasted money on programs such as "Head Start."

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BigFig#9 to strawberry 2012/07/12 16:56:29

+1
PS - As to Athletic Scholarships...I received an athletic scholarship and in fact came to the States based on lack of athletic scholarships in Canada. I would have attended a Canadian university but this idea of free school AND you get to play lots of baseball at a high level held great appeal to a 17 year old kid. As a rationale way to distribute educational resources it makes no sense to this 54 year old. I love sports and college sports as much as the next guy but the mix of TV money and college athletics has created a monster that overshadows the academic accomplishments of too many universities.

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strawberry to BigFig#9 2012/07/12 17:14:00

I believe Canada has smarter, more common sense system. There are far too many freeloaders in the United States.

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BigFig#9 to strawberry 2012/07/12 17:29:58

Canada's not perfect either but in health care delivery and education specifically we have a lot to learn in the Great White North. Incidentally, and in contrast to what many Americans perceive Canada to be, Canada is about as ethnically diverse as the US and takes in about 250% as many immigrants (mostly ethnically diverse) than the US each year so when people blame ethnic minorities or immigration for the US issues with education or health care costs that seems like a red herring.

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SebaTheSociallyAwkwardPenguin 2012/07/11 22:52:35

Yes

+4
school and work should go hand in hand.

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strawberry to SebaThe... 2012/07/11 23:28:18

+3
You don't need a college education to work at Burger King. Many high school students work summer jobs to earn money to pay their own college educations. Europeans who first came to the U.S. had to work very hard, many jobs. Most did not go to college but made sure they paid for their children to go to colleges. No one is owed a college loan or college education.

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SebaThe... to strawberry 2012/07/11 23:29:59

+2
i know but it would help, especially nowadays

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kevracer 2012/07/11 22:48:14

No

+2
California tried this years ago, but it ended around 1960

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strawberry to kevracer 2012/07/11 23:29:49

+1
I remember college loans used by many to back pack through Europe instead of using the loan money for college. Many never paid these loans back either.

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kevracer to strawberry 2012/07/11 23:31:49

+2
I worked part-time and summers and took out student loans to pay for college and paid back every dime.

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Sister Jean 2012/07/11 22:40:19

Yes

+6
if you have marks and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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