Should college be a public good? According to an article in the Washington Post, “The ideal of higher education as a public good — once inextricably linked to the American Dream — has been all but abandoned in favor of the college degree as a private commodity.” Whether or not we use the public-school system, we all pay for it. Educating our children is one our most important responsibilities, as it is essential for their future and health. Free primary and secondary education is good for our economy and strengthens our democracy. Why would it not extend to higher education as well?
Abraham Lincoln signed the Land Grant College Act into law in 1862. This laid the foundation for the largest system of publicly founded universities worldwide. Some of America’s best college, were created by federal land grants and were known as “people’s colleges”. What happened? For most of our nation’s history, public colleges and universities have been much more affordable than they are today, with lower tuition, and financial aid that covered a much larger portion of the costs.
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In 1980, the average cost of tuition, room and board, and fees at a four-year post-secondary institution was $9,438,” according to the Department of Education.” (Jackson) Rising tuition hikes have made attending college more expensive today than at any point in U.S. history. At the same time, debt from student loans has become the largest form of personal debt in America, bigger than credit card debt and auto loans. “Americans owe over $1.4 trillion in student loan debt, spread out among about 44 million borrowers. In fact, the average Class of 2016 graduate has $37,172 in student loan debt, up six percent from last year.” (Student Loan