Free education and learning

[Political_Chucky]

I am doing an assignment for school where I have to create an amendment for the U.S. constitution, list the reasons it is needed, explain how it will be implemented and the cost of the implementation, and then debate with other classmates.

I have decided to go with free education and learning in the U.S. but need to devise some counterarguments which are most likely to be brought up by my peers.

Reasons why the Amendment would be needed would be:

1. Gives fair and equal chance to all people of America for a higher education

2. Increases the awareness of political activity to ignorant Americans

3. Provides the people, primarily the lower class, with a free tutition and books for college.

So if any ideas come to mind, please feel free to help. I would like to shut down any counterarguments brought up.

[Ricardo]

"Why shouldn't someone who can afford a better education get one?"

[BreadBros]

"Whats the point of striving to be successful, if you cant pass down the advantages to your children?"

[Lenin's Law]

First of all, good luck with your assignment! It seems like a very interesting one and a thought-provoking one as well. For what it's worth, I'm a teacher myself although a 1st year one at that just starting out so take from that what you will.

Anyway, I see that others have provided the counterargument questions so I will give a few ideas/recommendations. If some of them feel like nitpicking forgive me, but I'm trying to use language and words I think most teachers would like to see. (If you don't mind me asking, what grade level are you in?)





1. Gives fair and equal chance to all people of America for a higher education

I like where you're heading with this. Some recommendations: Consider replacing "people of America" with "US citizens" or "citizens of America/the United States." Also consider ending it with a quote from the "Founding Fathers" about something like "...and so making it a reality that truly 'all men are created equal'" Just an idea but I think a quote from a important US document or a quote from a US President, particularly a famous one like FDR, JFK, Jefferson, etc might be useful.


2. Increases the awareness of political activity to ignorant Americans

Hmm.. "ignorant" def not a word I think you should use, but then again this is only my opinion here and at the end of the day it is your paper. "to Americans that have been left our of the opportunities that other, more prosperous Americans, so evidently enjoy" or "Americans that have been unable to benefit from this country's renowned educational institutions." Something like that, a little less direct than just saying "ignorant" because that can be interpreted as condescending and demeaning. But of course use your own words and your own ideas and do what you think is best! These are only suggestions.



3. Provides the people, primarily the lower class, with a free tutition and books for college.

Change "lower class" to "less fortunate", "facing economic hardship", "unable to afford the ever-increasing costs of higher education", etc. Consider changing books to "educational materials" or "tools essential for learning" And lastly, consider closing with something like "....so that they may reap the benefits of a world-class education that every citizen of this country deserves".

Hope some of these suggestions gave you a few ideas! Good luck with your assignment and let us know how you did!

[OneBrickOneVoice]

How about banning private property?

[Political_Chucky]

Yea thanks Lenin I really appreciate the help. Normally I try and speak in a more formal manner but thank you for the changes. Its not really a paper though, its more of just writing the ideas down so I can refer to them because it’s a political debate among the class. I am going to try out what you said though. Being more sympathetic tends to sway their minds more effectively. I'm a senior in highschool though. If you have any more suggestions feel free to nitpick haha.

[Political_Chucky]

Thank you to everyone who helped me with my assignment. I was suppose to have at least 21 out of the 30 people in my class agree to my amendment to "ratify" it into the constitution, but I only convinced 10. The only reason I believe that was so was because of the way it had to be implemented, which was through taxes due to it being a capitalistic society. But I did explain afterwards that this is more of a socialistic idea and afterwards people like the idea. Well, if you were interested heres my paper. Thank you again.

Proposed Amendment: Free learning and all degrees of education.

Reasons
1. Gives fair and equal chance to all U.S. citizens for a higher education
Rather then restricting an education to the wealthiest people and giving free education, you are eliminating the chance of an Aristocracy of America by allowing the minorities to have a better understanding of politics. This act would make it a reality that truly, as the constitution states, “all men are created equal.”

2. More choice in the work force
Considering that only a minority of the population is considered the wealthy class, free education to all people gives proletarians of society the chance to have more opportunities and allow themselves more freedom of choice in the working force.

3. Increases the political activity in Americans
Free education is democratic. The free expense of a higher education that has been left out of the opportunities that other, more prosperous Americans, so evidently enjoy.79,279,000 did not vote in the last election. Free education could give those number of people the awareness of the importance to vote.

4. Provides the people, primarily the less fortunate, with a free tuition and tools essential for learning in college.

5.Finally, it's widely understood that education is a principal deterrent to crime.

Implementing the Amendment
The Amendment would be implemented by having the government pay for the education for all U.S. Citizens. This would be done by Taxing the population by a percentage of how much each individual makes. This way, the rich would be giving back to the community while the poor put in money for their own progress in very little amounts.

Counter-Arguments

1. How would you fund it?
It would be funded by taxing U.S. citizens by a percentage of how much they make.

2. Everyone has an equal chance.They start from the same education level.
Its not that people are treated differently intentionally, but some people are born rich and others die trying. Many people are not prepared for school in their earlier years and do not know the importance of an education. As a humane person u can’t just ignore that. Also, according to an article in the New York Times, the United States is 49th in the world in literacy, he United States ranked 28th out of 40 countries in mathematical literacy, twenty percent of Americans think the sun orbits the earth and Seventeen percent believe the earth revolves around the sun once a day.

3.Why would employers pay the same to their employees?
It still takes the dedication and hard work to make it to the required field. Usually the longer the years it takes to get the degree, the more difficult the position is to get. Money only separates the minority from his job of choice.
Free education would allow us to better our existing one. Many European countries already have free education and based on statistics given by the New York Times, have increased its job employment.

4.How would it be based?
Education from Pre-School and up would be free. If a student was to drop out, he could go back from where he started and continue his education.

5.That is why there are scholarships and grants.
Not everyone is eligible for them because either the person was not academically inclined,were ignorant of how important school is, were legal immigrants coming to the country without general U.S. knowlodge, or do not meet required specifications. Parents have a great deal to with it. The way they teach their children on the importance of school also contends with the students’ minds.

6. Socialism is for communists.
Yet socialism worked for Franklin D. Roosevelt in his new deal with the rise of the Social Security and the formation of Unions for workers. Cuba also has one of the leading educational programs.

[violencia.Proletariat]

State run education does not promote political awarness amongst anyone.

[Political_Chucky]

..........thats your own opinion. If a person was to be in a government class....wouldn't that increase politcal awarness, regardless of it being correct information or not?