The war has started - the assault on Paul Ryan. "Ryan will kill old people" "Republicans want dirty water and air" "Ryan will cut Pell Grants"Well, I hope Ryan does cut the student grant program. WHAT? I can hear the cries. The Grants are not about "education" - but about supporting an ever expanding infrastructure in Higher Education that has nothing to do with education - Even as grant mon
ey has increased, tuition/charges have increased MORE RAPIDLY - the kids who want an education just cannot keep up with the rising costs.
If those costs were indeed going to support education at the grass-roots - sure, increase them - But these increases have gone to support an intransigent higher education leadership that is all but immune to any criticism and do not support education. The rise in GPA across the country parallels the rise in grants and the costs of education - while many that graduate with a 4 year degree cannot find jobs because their degree is worthless - ignore the GPA, evaluate what they know - it is scary. A 4 year degree has become like a High School diploma (for many disciplines) - yes, some undergrad degrees are holding their own - but even they are under assault.
So why indeed raise Pell Grants or other sources for students? All that happens is that the higher establishment administration grows while doing nothing for "education".
The public is being fooled into thinking that more money implies better/more education. The correlation is inverse - as more money is being thrown at the problem, the problem is getting worse - because the establishment knows that "people will pay whatever we demand for education" - while not educating - and awarding degrees and diplomas suggesting that they are being educated.
There is a Berlin Wall around the Higher Education System - It has to fall - a first step would be to stop the infusion of bad money after more money and demand accountabillity - What is being done with the money today? How are universities educating? What are they doing (if any) about inflating grades and passing students off while pretending they know something? Is the curriculum relevant? How are universities responding to the revolution in online education and the availability of outstanding material for almost no cost? What are universities doing to highlight the role of the human being in the classroom?
