California: From a Student's Perspective

I remember last month that I was about to step on to a plane to head towards Toronto, Canada. But before I could do that, I noticed a headline on the Los Angeles Times that stated that Jerry Brown was going to take another million dollars off from the education budget in California. (and the many millions that are continuing to be cut ).

I recently started Summer school at one of the local community colleges. Community colleges these days are not offering Summer school at all, so you could imagine how impacted they become when people are trying to take a basic English or Math class. I’m one of those hundreds of people who are trying to make the cut and get into a class. For the past 3-4 days, I was trying to get into the first level of Calculus (known as Calculus 5A). Little did I realize that 60+ people were trying to get in as well. With a couple of students, together we banded to try to get the college to open up another section.

The problem is that community colleges have a very limited budget. To just offer ONE section, costs an estimated 7,500 dollars. This includes classroom use, utilities, materials, etc. I never thought about the expenses that came with opening a section. The school opened two sections for this particular Calculus class, and yet there were people who could not get into those classes. So as students, we worked (or tried) to work with the school to see if another section could be opened. Unfortunately, because the funds for the section would come out of the school’s budget, the dean of the Math department was not willing to help out our cause. Which also brings a point that the community colleges that offer Summer school are only given a certain budget by the state of California to spend. And of course, the school doesn’t want to use whatever funds they have to pay for a section for 30 people (30 is the max a section is supposed to have, supposedly).

It’s these things that make me think about the education system in California as a whole. You cut more from education and you’re cutting the funds for students to pay for school. In a way, I’m beginning to think that California doesn’t want anybody to go to school. If there are no classes, then there are not students paying the school. However, if the student doesn’t have any money, then they can’t go to school. I see this as a lose-lose scenario. How are schools supposed to improve when they don’t allow people the opportunity to pursue an education? Let’s also keep in mind that some people cannot afford to pay for school on their own. I certainly can’t pay for school without the help of Cal Grants. Many can’t go to school without the help of grants.

I can’t help but feel that California is conspiring against students. I feel that if they cut from education, it’ll lessen their chances to go to school. And if California cuts student funding to pay for school, the chances to go to school will be even LESSER. I do not understand why education is the primary target for budget cuts. Students are about to affected greatly if the loan rates are set to double. It’s these things that affect students and their future. I’m sure some of the individuals behind these cuts and proposals have an idea of how hard it is to pay for school. Maybe their economy wasn’t so bad then, or perhaps they do not have an idea of how bad things really are right now and just want to continue hurting students.

I worry about the future of California and the entirety of the United States. I worry about being in the position of a student. I have been aware of what has been going on, but when taking perspectives at a state funded school, everything just seems to hit you much harder.

I actually wish I knew there was a solution to all of this. People pay taxes and increasing taxes just pisses everyone off. I’m just here crying out for all of these cuts to stop. It affects people on levels that I could not imagine. I hate admitting it, but money does play a major factor when choosing to further your education.