Con: Higher education not required for all

Everyone knows that college is essential to seek a career that is beyond flipping burgers at McDonald’s or working retail.

Years of budget reductions have put a lot of strain on the ability of two-year colleges to serve their students. And let’s face it — there are fewer courses offered at Contra Costa College and willing students are forced to slow or postpone their educational goals or commute to other colleges to get the classes they need.

So maybe the Student Success Task Force will actually work and those who deserve it the most will achieve their goal.

Some may believe that new initiatives to help students succeed are unfair to a lot of the students already at the college, and that they limit educational opportunities for many people in our community because the level of academic prowess varies from person to person.

But students should be rewarded for their successful attempts at staying on top of their studies.

No one should get aid just because they claim they are a student. Honestly, for too long people have been taking advantage of financial aid and that’s not helping the crowded classrooms.

As fewer and fewer classes and services become available, we need to focus on students who are willing to do whatever they can to graduate with an associate degree or transfer to a four-year college.

Being serious about education, and aiding those who are, should be the biggest priority for all California community colleges right now.

It wouldn’t be surprising if while walking around campus one heard those receiving financial aid eagerly saying that they cannot wait until their next check comes. When these checks are mailed a few weeks later, the full classrooms go away and empty seats appear. But it’s too late for those who couldn’t enroll in the course because it was full.

People from low-income families get the most help from financial aid, although low-income is more ambiguous than the eligibility rules let on.

Since financial aid is based on parental income for a majority of students who still live at home, it leaves out those who have parents who don’t meet low-income criteria, but are still unwilling or unable to help pay for their children’s education.

The community around the college is important and it is good that CCC wants to open its doors to everyone. But it is getting harder to do that.

Until the budget is stable enough to provide for everyone’s needs and the community college system is reformed to keep its community aspect, it is necessary we put the most resources into those students who take their education seriously and not those who steal tax money and classroom seats from real students.