Save Education at the Cost of Public Safety

Students, teachers, and administrators gathered at Sacramento State University to protest the rise of fees and cuts in education. People proudly chanted and sang songs. Participators held up signs which read "Save My Education," and "They Cut You." The purpose of the rally was to bring to the public attention that fees have increased 32 percent in this semester alone. In the past seven years fees have risen a total of 182 percent.



The budget crisis is no secret. Neither is the fact that students have to pay more for education. After all, students are the ones paying the fees. It was understood what the rally was meant to accomplish; although, it did not hit home for many. In fact it was apparent many of the speakers did not realize the implications of what they suggested.



A young lady voiced her opinion and she felt it unfair that the state funds prisons but student fees are going up. Although many do not realize it but funding prisoner education actually lowers recidivism and contributes to public safety. Educating our prisoners gives them the tools they need in order to contribute to society, reduce their chances of returning to prison and in turn lower the cost of running prisons and then saving money in the states over all budget. Currently California has a recidivism rate of 70 percent! That means seven out of ten prisoners will return to prison for non violent offences.



Furthermore, it was disturbing that not once during the rally did anyone mention the cuts that California's children are facing. Sacramento State students receive a bus pass included with their tuition but children are being forced to walk to school through busy intersections because school buses have been cut. Also community colleges receive funding from the same pool of money that is used to fund elementary and high schools. This means that no instructors at community colleges are being forced to furlough.

Perhaps equally as disturbing was when people began chanting, "Invest in people, tax oil not students." If it's not one thing, it's another. Sure go ahead and tax the oil and then complain about gas prices because students can't afford to drive to school.

No one is happy about the state of our union. Citizens are loosing jobs, becoming homeless, committing more crimes and overcrowding our prisons. Children are missing out on important subjects, like art and music, because we can't afford to pay the teachers. Voters don't want a rise in their taxes, but they also don't want to see their programs affected by budget cuts. There is not an easy answer when it comes to solving this financial crisis but people should stop and think about what they are asking before they ask it. The money needs to come from somewhere and it all has to go some place. Everybody wants their piece of the pie.