It’s about having the choice
“Obama wanted everyone to have the chance to go to college, not everyone had to go to college. Higher education after high school should be the goal of everyone, whether that be college, trade, technical, or vocational school. In a world that is increasingly technologically dependent, anything less would be a disgrace.” —Matt Chalmers, principal, Valley View Middle School, Valley View ISD, Valley View, Texas
“Not everyone goes to college. Not everyone can handle college. But everyone should have the opportunity to go to college. … There’s nothing wrong with encouraging everyone to go to college. Does this mean that I, as a high school English teacher, am a ‘snob’ for encouraging all my students to go to college? And college can be a trade school, too. Are they ‘snobs’ for going and becoming plumbers, carpenters, welders, computer technicians? I think not.” —Ed Hauck, Wilson High School, Long Beach, Calif.
“Personally, I think Mr. Santorum missed the whole point. The issue is making it possible for students of all backgrounds to be able to meet their goal of going to college if that is in their sights. Only a snob would assume that people from poor economic backgrounds may choose not to, simply because they ‘do not want to do so.’ It is also very difficult for students of middle-income families to be able to attend in this day and age of economic woes and poorly funded education by state and national governments. Mr. Santorum may have too much personal wealth to be able to understand how very difficult it is for the majority of the populace these days.” —Kathy Miller
“In what one can only imagine to be an attempt to connect with the ever illusive ‘ordinary’ American, Santorum again went over the cliff with his comments. While indeed not everyone has to go to college in order to be successful, everyone should have the opportunity! How many parents have no desire for their children to seek higher education? Isn’t that part and parcel of the American dream? Who would want a president who didn’t want everyone to have the opportunity for higher education?” —Anthony White, technology instructional specialist, Galena Park ISD
“The discussion should center around how to make college, trade schools, and transition programs affordable. Every teenager will eventually be a 20-something, so let’s find a path: 4-year, JC, certificate, work internship…whatever, so they have an option other than living in mom’s basement at 29. Santorum, et al., need to get off the rhetoric and have a real solution with a real discussion with all involved. The 30-second sound bites won’t cut it.” —Ed McManis, head of school, Sterne School, San Francisco, Calif.
There should be more career training programs
“I agree and disagree with Mr. Santorum. There are plenty of students who have neither desire to go to college nor are they college ‘material.’ For these students that aren’t college-bound, there needs to be school to career training programs that have been removed from the American education system. I do not believe that President Obama is a ‘snob’ for encouraging more Americans to seek higher education; the President is just not realistic. There are professionsthat are dignified, provide a living wage, and do not require college degrees, but do require training; these are being completely ignored. If we are going to compare our schools to European schools, then we need to start offering vocational programs, internships, and apprenticeships to our students, because only 30% of European students attend university programs; the 70% receive technical training that take them from school to lucrative careers.” —Michelle Pahl Brown, library media specialist, Southwest Academy, Magnet School for Science & Engineering
“I teach in a small rural community, and I find that what Rick Santorum said is definitely true. We have some students who want to go into a family farm or family business who feel they have no need for a bachelor’s degree. We also have a large number of students interested in vocational careers such as welding, building trades, electrician and plumbing, air conditioning repair, chef school, cosmetology, computer careers, and even massage therapy. Some of these need vocational school training, and others need an apprenticeship. Academics is not the only path to success and happiness for them.” —Sherry A. Harris, professional educator, Journalism, English, Oral Communication, Psychology/Sociology, Fouke High School, Fouke, Ark.
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