The Crisis of Public Education

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Civil Works Administration gave people federal checks and within a month put 2 million people to work. The Public Works Administration built many schools in California, including community colleges. Education was NEVER jeopardized at the expense of a failing economy.

Fast forward to 2008. Economic downfall on Wall Street. The government BAILS them out. That easily, the

elite of the United States simply give away billions of dollars. But of course, it was in their best interest to do so. After all, it was their money that was invested in Wall Street. Mind you, the wealthiest people in America make up 2% of the population. Yes, ONLY 2%. Not since 1928 has such a small population of America had claims to so much of the nation's economy. Where does that place us, the lower class, on the economic hierarchy? At the bottom of the barrel, left to fare for ourselves, left to struggle without any help from the very gover

nment that placed us in this situation.

While the government bails out Wall Street, public education is put on the back-burner, left to slowly but surely deteriorate. In November 2009, the UC Regents voted to increase student fees by 32%. Thirty-two percent!

WHERE ARE OUR PRIORITIES?

In 2010, California will be spending more money on prisons than on education. 10.5 million dollars will be allocated to prisons while a mere 7.5 million will be allocated to schools. Prisons over education? Seriously? This has got to be the saddest thing ever. Never, ever, ever should education be given less priority than prisons. The prison industrial complex is a business. It has claimed the lives of many, and with the path education is going down, it is only a matter of time before the smartest and brightest people fall victim to its wrath. The government is telling us our education does not matter. They are telling us that imprisonment is more important. Incarcerating the oppressed and capitalizing from the labor of inmates seems to be the top priority. This is nothing new. America is well known for oppression. But trying to oppress students? This is where we must draw the line.

Why prioritize big wealthy corporations and prisons over students? Do people not know that education is the key to success? Of course they know. HELLO! Oppression!!! Knowledge is power! The elite are very much aware of this. They know education leads to great careers, thus leading to big money. If we have too many knowledgeable people in the country, the dynamics as to who holds the power and money would completely change. Their goal, is to keep the country's wealth concentrated in that 2% of the population.

What are our options?! Education should be the LAST thing that gets tampered with when an economy is in danger. There are soooo many other options that could easily have prevented this 32% fee increase. California is the only state that does not tax corporations for extracting our oil. Do you know how much oil California has? A LOT! Albert Turico's bill, AB 656 proposes to tax corporations for extracting oil. This tax would help pay for public education in itself. Don't like this option? Let's tax everybody. It would take a mere $32 per tax payer to roll back the fee hikes. This, too, would help save public education. Want more options? In 1978, California passed Proposition 13, allocating big corporations the same property tax as home owners. Proposition 13 put us on a path where we wanted to borrow from our future rather than invest in it. If we revert this proposition and tax these big corporations, this too would save public education.

This is not rocket science. I am not an economist. I am not a legislator. I am not government affiliated. I have yet to receive my degree. It does not take a genius to know that there are many other options that could have prevented this. It also does not take a genius to see the patterns here. Oppression, concentration of wealth among the elite, let's bring more money to the wealthy and incarcerate the poor.

Californians, and Americans in general need to take a stand for education. If you think this does not affect you because you are not in school, you are deeply confused and mistaken. What will happen when your kids grow up and you cannot afford to put them through college? Education should be a right, as a citizen, and as a human, and privatizing it will deteriorate our economy, our country, and our people will become diluted. Crime and poverty will become more concentrated in low-income and communities of color as none of our community members would get the chance to get an education. Remember, knowledge is power.

Fast forward thirty-forty years from now. Where do you see the economy? Where do you see education? Where do you see yourself?