As I have written before on our blog, I tell my students in almost every class I teach that "you can fight change, invest in change or create change and the only way you are sure to lose is by fighting it." A debate is presently raging within the North Carolina's State Board of Community Colleges concerning the admission and tuition rates of undocumented students within their system (Inside Higher Ed, Aug 18, 2008). While I will not comment on that case specifically, I do believe this discussion brings up some interesting discussion points. Let me begin by asserting that an educated workforce is necessary to the future of the country. Presently our national education rates lag behind most of our "industrialized counterparts." For a really scary commentary on our knowledge base please see Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter by Rick Shenkman.
Second the projected growth of the Hispanic population in the U.S. can not be denied (but it can be ignored apparently). I am one of those that believe putting up walls along the border is as effective as thinking a summer gasoline tax "holiday" will solve any of our energy problems. They are both symbolic, marketing based diversions that give the appearance of doing something rather than addressing the bigger issue that is too complicated for many to understand.
Denying access to our college's and universities to the increasingly larger Latino base is short sighted. Rather than blocking education to someone who wants it and it willing to work for it, we should be developing systems that encourage and reward it. (I love "TG's" suggestion in the Inside Higher Ed blog about tying citizenship to degree completion). Let's invest in change and focus on enhancing the education of all of our populace. We will all be better off for it.
-- Tom Hayes
As I have written before on our blog, I tell my students in almost every class I teach that "you can fight change, invest in change or create change and the only way you are sure to lose is by fighting it." A debate is presently raging within the North Carolina's State Board of Community Colleges concerning the admission and tuition rates of undocumented students within their system (Inside Higher Ed, Aug 18, 2008). While I will not comment on that case specifically, I do believe this discussion brings up some interesting discussion points. Let me begin by asserting that an educated workforce is necessary to the future of the country. Presently our national education rates lag behind most of our "industrialized counterparts." For a really scary commentary on our knowledge base please see Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter by Rick Shenkman.
Second the projected growth of the Hispanic population in the U.S. can not be denied (but it can be ignored apparently). I am one of those that believe putting up walls along the border is as effective as thinking a summer gasoline tax "holiday" will solve any of our energy problems. They are both symbolic, marketing based diversions that give the appearance of doing something rather than addressing the bigger issue that is too complicated for many to understand.
Denying access to our college's and universities to the increasingly larger Latino base is short sighted. Rather than blocking education to someone who wants it and it willing to work for it, we should be developing systems that encourage and reward it. (I love "TG's" suggestion in the Inside Higher Ed blog about tying citizenship to degree completion). Let's invest in change and focus on enhancing the education of all of our populace. We will all be better off for it.
-- Tom Hayes
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