Thursday, August 8, 2013

College Education as a Poll Tax.

I was reading Wikipedia and came to this paragraph in the article on Economic mobility:

It is a widespread belief that there is a strong correlation between obtaining an education and increasing one’s economic mobility. The education system in the United States has always been considered the most effective and equal process for all individuals to improve one’s economic standing. Despite the increasing availability to education for all, family background continues to play a huge role in determining economic success. To individuals who do not have or cannot obtain an education, the greater overall levels of education can act as a barrier, increasing their chance of being left behind at the bottom of the economic or income ladder.

Since you basically need a Bachelor's to get an entry level job, only those families well off enough to send their kids to college can do so and then those who can't get left behind. It's a bit like charging everybody for the right to vote and the rich don't mind much because it's not much money to them. But, it prevents the poor from moving forward or looking after their interests.

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