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Give students & professors more time to protest
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We require sex education in school.

We require life skills classes in school.

So why not require economics?

Given the rash of protests at California’s public schools and publically-funded intuitions of high learning a course in basic economics should be required for graduation from high school.

Everyone is demanding the state provide more money and no cuts to education at all levels.

It ignores the fact there is yet another mega deficit emerging - this time $13 billion.

That means more cuts are on the way for K-12 schools that will require  five days be slashed off this school year’s instructional calendar in a bid to cut costs.

Meanwhile, the California State University system - along with the University of California - are facing  $600 million more in automatic cuts due to the deficit.

The CSU cobbled together a plan to address the coming cuts. It includes a 9 percent tuition hike that would generate $138 million, adding another 20,000 students for $64 million in tuition, and asking the California Legislature for another $333 million in state general funds for this year.

This caused students protesting at a CSU trustees meeting in Long Beach to go berserk and riot.

If the state doesn’t have the money they can’t give it to you.

And the private sector isn’t exactly jumping up and down yelling for politicians to tax them just so education can avoid the same economic pitfalls as everyone else.

In fairness, the K-12 system has taken a number of hits that mirror the private sector including pay cuts and reduction in staff with increased workload.

Apparently many CSU students believe they should be exempt from the same economic reality. It also appears to be the case with their professors as well.

There is one way that CSU can avoid rate hikes and it doesn’t involve trying to shakedown California’s distressed taxpayers for more money by threatening lawmakers in  Sacramento. If the professors want to protect their precious pre-negotiated raises from a contract agreed to before the economic malaise hit then they should be granted their wish.

But in return the CSU will need to slash expenses which mean getting rid of professors and increasing workload for the remaining facility.

If it sounds unfair,  try to find a sympathetic shoulder to cry on in the private sector.

This is a case of simple economics.

The money isn’t there.

You either have to raise revenue via tuition or and/or  taxes or cut costs by reducing staff or increase the workload per professor by opening the doors to even more students.

Of course the students don’t want a tuition hike. They want someone else to pay for an education they are pursuing so they can get a better paying job.

And the college professors don’t want to increase their workload.

That leaves only one course of action - slash enrollment and slash professors.

That way both students and professors would have ample time to protest reality without having to let pesky little things like classes and work get in their way.



This column is the opinion of managing editor, Dennis Wyatt, and does not necessarily represent the opinion of The Bulletin or Morris Newspaper Corp. of CA.  He can be contacted at dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com or 209-249-3519.