[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference turris::womannotes-v2

Title:ARCHIVE-- Topics of Interest to Women, Volume 2 --ARCHIVE
Notice:V2 is closed. TURRIS::WOMANNOTES-V5 is open.
Moderator:REGENT::BROOMHEAD
Created:Thu Jan 30 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 30 1995
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1105
Total number of notes:36379

223.0. "Education...Who pays?" by ANT::JLUDGATE (it's only life....) Mon Oct 03 1988 16:19

    following is a discussion which started in the "How Will Women Vote"
    note (207.*)
    
    while the issues are present in the campaign, i think the discussion
    left the campaign trail, and deserves it's own topic.
    
    .................................jonathan
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
223.1ANT::JLUDGATEit's only life....Mon Oct 03 1988 16:38263
Note 207.52                  How will Women Vote?                       52 of 81
CADSE::WONG "Le Chinois Fou"                         13 lines  27-SEP-1988 23:45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Uncle Ronnie's cuts in student grants many years ago came pretty
    damn close to making me drop out of college...in spite of him,
    I clawed my way through college.  There are alot of unfortunate
    people who weren't as lucky and didn't survive.
    
    What a pity...
    
    I forgot who said this, but...
    
    "Twenty years ago, you voted for the person who, you thought, would
    do the most good for this country.  Nowadays, you vote for the person
    who would do the least harm."
    
Note 207.64                  How will Women Vote?                       64 of 81
HYEND::JRHODES                                       30 lines  29-SEP-1988 09:42
                         -< Another vote against Bush >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    RE: .52
    
    I graduated high school in 1984.  I had my social security payments
    cut off at this time (A Reagan/Bush policy).  I had been receiving
    these payments since the time of my father's death in 1977. In 1977 my
    mother was back in the workforce to support our family making wages
    comparable to secretarial pay (not very good).  In 1984 she just
    managed to pay off the house she and my father purchased in 1972--
    a long hard struggle!
    
    For me, I had the choice of taking out MANY loans or asking my mother
    to take out a mortgage on her home (which she had struggled so hard
    to finally pay off). 
    
    My older siblings had their social security payments to help out
    with school (along with loans) that I would not get.  Therefore,
    I decided I just *could not afford* to go to school.  I did not
    want to have to be in debt for the rest of my life to get an education.
    
    I joined Digital in December of '84 as a secretary (something I
    had practically no training for) -- with hopes of having school
    paid for.  Now that they have their taxable tuition laws (another
    Reagan policy) it is making my life more difficult today to stay
    in school.
    
    With the effects that Reagan and Bush had on my life (I *always*
    wanted to go to college - a dream I had taken away), I WILL NOT
    vote for Bush.
    
    Julie

Note 207.73                  How will Women Vote?                       73 of 81
CADSE::SANCLEMENTE                                   26 lines  30-SEP-1988 12:51
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    re : .64
>           For me, I had the choice of taking out MANY loans or asking my mother
>    to take out a mortgage on her home (which she had struggled so hard
>   to finally pay off). 
    
>    My older siblings had their social security payments to help out
>    with school (along with loans) that I would not get.  Therefore,
>    I decided I just *could not afford* to go to school.  I did not
>    want to have to be in debt for the rest of my life to get an education.
    
>    With the effects that Reagan and Bush had on my life (I *always*
>    wanted to go to college - a dream I had taken away), I WILL NOT
>    vote for Bush.
    
 
      I sense (correct me if I am wrong) from your note that you feel 
    you are in some way owed money for college from the government
    and George Bush stole it from you.
    People forget that the government is simply the taxpayer. Can you
    give me a reason why someone who chose not to go to school when
    they were younger should pay (taxes) for you to go to school?
    Please no answers like "we waste billions on defense . . . ", that
    is not justification for misuse of money somewhere else. 
                                      
    
    			- A.J.

Note 207.74                  How will Women Vote?                       74 of 81
ANT::JLUDGATE "Borribles Rule Okay"                  14 lines  30-SEP-1988 13:20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    re: .73
    
    is it misuse of our money to educate/improve the population?
    
    if a person seeks to get a higher education, that person will
    most likely be earning higher wages and paying more taxes in the
    future.
    
    leave it to conservatives to take the short view and save a 
    couple thousand dollars today and lose tens of thousands in
    a few years/decades from now.
    
    ............................................jonathan
    
Note 207.75                  How will Women Vote?                       75 of 81
AKOV13::WILLIAMS "But words are things ..."          25 lines  30-SEP-1988 14:42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Jonathan:
    
    	I believe education is one of the best places for us as a nation
    to invest.  The question, in my opinion, is just where the investment
    income should come from.  Of course, it must come from the taxpayers
    but the middle group, responsible to collect the monies, distribute
    them and collect that which is loaned is best situated as close
    to the people as possible.  This, to me, is the state.
    
    	I strongly believe the federal gov't should concern itself with
    national issues - individual equality, national defense, etc. and
    the state gov't's should concern themselves with administrating
    to the rules.  
    
    	As earlier mentioned, Carter managed to invest a great deal
    on tax money in education.  But at what cost?  Carter cut the defense
    budget, leaving us badly exposed and keeping money out of manufacturing
    (remember macro economics and the impact of spending money in
    manufacturing as compared with service industries such as education
    - monies spent in manufacturing have a higher multiplier than monies
    spent in service industries such as education.)  Let the federal
    gov't dictate basic requirements to the states and let the states
    implement and administer.  The federal gov't can assist the needy
    states when necessary.
    Douglas

Note 207.76                  How will Women Vote?                       76 of 81
VAXWRK::SKALTSIS "Deb"                               12 lines  30-SEP-1988 14:44
     -< it's misuse when the funds aren't used for their intended purpos >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    .74
    
    want to talk about a misuse of "education" funds? I was in college
    in the early 1970s, and while I did receive some NDSL loans (which
    by the way, *I* paid back), a lot of my classmates used these loans
    to buy things like cars and stereos. As someone who was working 3 jobs
    to pay my way through school, while I was sorry to see the low interest
    student loan programs go away, I could understand it because of
    the rampant abuse. I guess it is one of life's hardest lessons when
    a few people abuse things they ruin the system for everyone.
    
    Deb

Note 207.77                  How will Women Vote?                       77 of 81
FSLPRD::JLAMOTTE "The best is yet to be"             18 lines   1-OCT-1988 09:40
                -< Social Security has changed a lot since '39 >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    a point I want to make about the disbursement of social security
    funds.
    
    Social Security is a government insurance program to provide pensions
    and insurance benefits in case of death.
    
    Children who have parents that die before they are able to support
    themselves are the recepients of social security benefits.  A few
    years ago the government terminated those benefits for college age
    children.
    
    I do not feel that the original plan was a move to support college
    education it was an insurance plan to provide for children in the
    same manner as the parent would have had they lived.
    
    The change in social security is an indication that maybe we as
    a society do not feel we want to support college education for our
    children.

Note 207.78                  How will Women Vote?                       78 of 81
TFH::MARSHALL "hunting the snark"                    19 lines   3-OCT-1988 10:02
                     -< what do you mean "we", whiteman? >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    re .77:
    
    > ...maybe we as a society do not feel we want to support college 
    > education for our children. 
    
    Maybe "we" do not think that it is right to fund "our" child's
    education though fear and intimidation of others.
    
    If a man came up to you and offered you $30,000 that he had just
    managed to beat out of the rich man up the street, would you take
    it? Isn't that exactly what the government is doing through the
    IRS?
    
                                                   
                  /
                 (  ___
                  ) ///
                 /
    
Note 207.79                  How will Women Vote?                       79 of 81
MOSAIC::RU                                           10 lines   3-OCT-1988 10:38
                         -< Student load are needed! >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    
    With the college education more expensive today, I don't
    dispute that the students needs help.  But the parents are
    responsible also.  Evidentially you shouldn't blame it on
    Reagan/Bush.
    
    The government should have tax free saving account for parents/
    students to save college money.  It should also have student
    load available if the misuse and collection of loan money
    is no problem.  

Note 207.81                  How will Women Vote?                       81 of 81
SUCCES::ROYER "Fidus Amicus"                         44 lines   3-OCT-1988 13:35
                           -< What price security? >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Loans are just that moneys borrowed and ment to be repaid.

Student loans are qualified, and the government gets stuck with the
bill if the lending instutition did not fully check out the applicant.
Now the Government is stuck paying many loans.. How many times will
the taxpayer get shafted before he elects someone to office who will
tighten the purse strings.

Social Security.  HA, HA!.  The program as intended was good,
however it cannot work the way that things are going now.  I am 48
and intend to retire sometime in 20xx.  I am planning on my own
retirement funds, and the Digital program.  If I ever see one cent
from the social security program, I will be surprised.

What is the problem with SS, well for one thing the system is built
like an upside down pyramid.  Few payed very much in, in the beginning,
and they drew out several times what they payed in to the program.
Then the program got tapped as life insurance for the people who
were too poor or ignorant to insure their own life.  Then we got
all the other ills, to go along with that.

CURE:  YES there is a solution, but you won't like that









Go to a program like Scandanavia, or England, to mention two examples.
You pay in about 50 percent of your salary, into social security, and
they your old age, medicine and other things are provided.  And in some
countries you can even go to college FREE provided You are willing to
Pay some more(a lot more) in taxes.  

YOU CAN NOT HAVE YOUR CAKE, AND EAT IT AS WELL.

I plan to vote AGAINST George (where was he, and what did he know) BUSH.

Better another one term democrat than another Reagan.

Dave
223.2EVER11::KRUPINSKIJohn Wayne should sue for defamationMon Oct 03 1988 16:507
	The Dukakis plan for student 'loans' is a throwback to the times
	of indentured servitude. The DUKE proposes that, in return for
	a student loan, the recipient would have a portion of their
	paycheck attached by the government *for* *life*. Gives a new
	meaning to the term "repaid with interest".

							Tom_K
223.3volunteer serviceNOETIC::KOLBEThe dilettante debutanteMon Oct 03 1988 17:0913
       One of the unexpected side effects of racial discrimination in
       the Viet Nam war was the large number of blacks who were able to
       return and go to college with the GI bill. While this does no
       good for those who died (and blacks represented a higher number
       there also) it was a stepping stone for many who would not
       otherwise have had a chance at higher education.

       Perhaps a peace time alternative could be trading a few years in
       the Peace Corps or VISTA (I think that's what it's called) in
       return for an income while attending school. It's not the easy
       life of having mommy and daddy pay your way but it would provide
       the means to get ahead as well as valuable life experience. liesl
223.5RAINBO::TARBETWed Oct 05 1988 10:1318
    <--(.4)
    
    Mike, I'm sure you know that
    
    (a) ROTC is a way to get a commission, not an education:  you have
    to already be at school in order to participate in ROTC.
    
    (b) Annapolis --and West Point, Colorado Springs, and New Haven-- are
    an alternative for *very* few (what's their total enrollment? Maybe
    6000 people all told?)
    
    (c) Enlistment, to my best knowledge, no longer provides access to
    post-service education.  If I recall the adverts correctly, the
    government will only match your own savings...which are likely to be
    fairly small considering the enlisted pay scales...and require an
    n-year delay in entering one's career path.
    
    						=maggie
223.6They said "California's the place you ought to be"PSG::PURMALYou saw the whole of the moonWed Oct 05 1988 12:5417
         I'm sure glad that I live in California, I may be paying fairly
    high state taxes, and my parents may have too, but a college education
    is relatively cheap here.  When I went to San Francisco State my
    tuition (as a resident) went from $129 per semester, to $259 per
    semester from 1979 to 1982.
    
         Before that I went to a community college (that had been rated
    higher than many other state's state university schools) for just
    $15 per semester.
    
         I'm willing to pay a high price to guarantee the availability
    of a good higher education system for the residents of my state.
    (Residents are those who have paid state taxes for 4 years).  I
    feel that it betters the quality of my environment to have more
    educated people around.
    
    ASP
223.7CADSE::SANCLEMENTEWed Oct 05 1988 13:0513
re: .5
 >           Mike, I'm sure you know that
 >   
 >   (a) ROTC is a way to get a commission, not an education:  you have
 >   to already be at school in order to participate in ROTC.
    
  	Incorrect,  It is a way to get a commission and an education.
    	ROTC will pay for tuition, books, and you get a monthly pay
    	check ( like 100 bucks).  You must be also be accepted into
    	a school aproved by ROTC.  I had quite a few friends in 
    	college who chose this route.
    
    				- A.J.
223.8It *does* provide an educationSKYLRK::OLSONgreen chile crusader!Wed Oct 05 1988 13:4219
    re .4,.5,.7, and ROTC-
    
    Everybody's partially right.  OK?  You just haven't done heard the
    whole story yet.  Reserve Officer Training Corps programs are available
    at hundreds of colleges accross the country.  It is possible to
    participat�e just for training, and to secure a commission after
    graduation.  Next to no financial benefits, as per Maggie.
    
    It is also possible to apply for a scholarship, of which the AF
    offers 1000 per year (so 4000 ongoing at a time).  Don't know the
    numbers for Army or Navy.  I applied for a scholarship when I was
    a High School senior, at the same time I applied to colleges.  If
    I hadn't gotten the scholarship, I certainly wouldn't have attended
    the (good) school I did.  So Mike is right, too.
    
    Our new (GO IRISH) noter Rachel just completed such a program at
    Notre Dame, if I'm not mistaken.
    
    DougO
223.9Limited # of students for ROTCNSG022::POIRIERSuzanneWed Oct 05 1988 13:5715
    re: .8
    
    Good points about ROTC - but it is still extremely limited in the
    number of students it selects and the major you select.  I applied
    through the air force my senior year in high school.  I had applied to
    5 schools, 3 which were ROTC approved.  I made it to the semi-finals
    but was never selected for a scholarship because I was going for a B.S
    in math.  They told me had I been going for an engineering degree I
    would have been selected or would have had a better chance. I knew I
    wanted an engineering degree but wasn't sure what in so I went to
    school as a math major (a related field) and later changed to computer
    science.  In a way I am glad - I would still be in the air force
    right now - and I enjoy my life the way it is!
    
    Suzanne 
223.11There should be options availableUSMRW1::RMCCAFFREYThu Oct 06 1988 15:0669
    
    	I applied for a ROTC scholarship during my sr yr in HS.  I applied
    to all 4 services.  I also applied to Annapolis and to the Coast
    Guard Academy.  I was accepted academically to both service academies
    and then medically disqualified (20-35 vision in my left eye,
    uncorrectable) I ended up receiving the AF scholarship after visiting
    ND and meeting the Col in charge of the AF program out there.  He
    was a great guy and he obviously liked me a lot because he pushed
    a waiver through HQ that I still use today.
    
    	I began my academic career as an Engineer.  3 Ds later at the
    end of my freshman year I decided that I'd better switch.  I had
    pretty much decided that Mum and Dad couldn't afford ND especially
    because my twin sisters would be freshmen when I was a sophomore
    and Michele would be going to a small Catholic school in Maine.
    Well, Dad spent hours on financial aid, my parents took out a home
    equity loan in addition to the mortgage that was not paid off and
    they paid for my sophomore year at ND and Margo's freshman year
    at UMASS and Mic's freshman year at St Joe's.  Over the summer,
    and no one is quite sure how, I was awarded a Cat III (Non-tech)
    scholarship.  I was one of 16 in the nation to get a non-tech 
    scholarship and I can tell you, it wasn't because of my GPA which
    had been killed by my freshman year.  It was a good thing that I
    got it because I had been having tremendous guilt feelings about
    having my parents pay.  Margo had gotten into Stonehill but they
    didn't offer her enough aid so she was the one who went to the less
    expensive public school allowing Mic and I to go to the schools
    that we REALLY wanted to attend.
    
    	While I was at school, I received about $11,000 in GSLs which
    allowed me to pay for part of my sophomore year and room and board
    (which ROTC doesn't cover) during my other 3 years.  I start paying
    them back in November and am perfectly willing to do so.
    
    	My position about aid to students.....every student in this
    country should have available to him/her enough money so that he/she
    can go to whatever school he/she can get into.  They should have
    to pay it back with interest, but not over the rest of their life.
    I'll pay back my loans and then for the rest of my life I'll donate
    to the general scholarship fund at ND so that students, who otherwise
    wouldn't be able to afford it, can attend ND.  College was the greatest
    experience of my life so far.  The only reason that I was able to
    go is that my parents worked 2 or 3 jobs each and have mortgaged
    themselves for at least the next 20-25 so that I could go.  Dad
    says that if I want to go to grad school I have to pay for it 
    myself :-).
    
    	I worked to get through college and I'll spend the next 4 years
    in the AF and paying off loans to continue to pay for it.  I was
    willing to put myself into debt and I was willing to sign away 4
    years of my life.  Then again, I had fun during college...I only
    had a job for 1 semester and I never had to work in the dining halls.
    I have tremendous respect for those people who "work their way through
    college".  However I feel that should only be one option.  ROTC
    is another.  There should be a third like ROTC but with the student
    signing away his/her life to the Peace Corps or something.  But
    above and beyond everything else, the funding should be available.
    A country can only be as good as her people and her people can only
    be as good as the education that they earn for themselves.
    
    	This is rather long-winded and not very organised.  The point
    is that *I* paid for my education and will be paying for it for
    the next 4-8 years.  But the means were available.....and they need
    to be available for all of the students who want to attend college
    in the future.
    
    GO IRISH!
    
    Rachel