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Paul Jesep

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Free College Should Be a Right, Not a Privilege

Student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt. Nurturing an educated workforce is key to a democracy and a vibrant economic system. Yet higher education is perceived as a privilege. Piling debt on those who seek to be contributing members of society through inventing, researching, analyzing, and challenging the greater community with innovative ideas is counter productive to society and the individual. Education debt limits potential for the individual, the economy, and for furthering the greater good.

Topics: banking reform education reform free education
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    John Locke

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    Nov 10 2011: College is expensive, who would pay for it if it was free? What would happen to jobs that don't need a college degree?Would people even do those jobs if everyone had a degree?
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      Corvida Raven 100+

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      TED StaffHostTED AttendeeAssociate
      Nov 10 2011: I don't think a college degree has anything to do with jobs. I don't walk into a doctor's or dentist's office asking to see their degrees or where they got them from. I imagine most people don't, but that's not to say it's not important for some professions.

      If it's free, nobody the government would pay or it would come out of taxes I imagine.
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        John Locke

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        Nov 10 2011: I see your confusion on my statment. I meant this, if everyone had a college degree (I assume many people would go to college if it were free) than you would find that getting a job without a degree would be much harder since now everyone else has a degree. Employers would rather have their employies go to college so eventually, every job would 'need' a college degree.

        This would make a college diploma almost like a highschool diploma. You are not required to have one but it helps to get a job. So, to spend all of these resources, is it really worth it?
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      Paul Jesep

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      Nov 10 2011: It would only be free if you qualified and met academic standards. And once the student started he or she would have to maintain a minimum grade point average or pay for the full semester.
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        John Locke

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        Nov 10 2011: Qualified? How would you qualify? Wouldn't that prevent people who are unable to qualify (not as intelligent) from going to college? If it is free to some, it should be free to all until they have proven that they no longer deserve that punishment.
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          Paul Jesep

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          Nov 10 2011: Certain standards have to be met. Poor reading or writing skills would be problematic for someone getting through college.

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