Our real estate taxes just rose precipitously - that's a big word for "a lot". We had three school board referendums that passed at the last election. The third one passed by 16 votes. But, in my humble opinion, it is a good investment.
I also saw in the paper today that the governor of Tennessee has opted for tuition free schools for community colleges as a wise investment. And he is a conservative Republican. They have the first 2 years free for high school graduates, and 2 years for adults as well who want to continue their education. See: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2018/02/15/tennessee-reconnect-tuition-free-college/342665002/
"If we want to have jobs ready for Tennesseans, we have to make sure that Tennesseans are ready for jobs, and there is no smarter investment than increasing access to high-quality education," . . .
http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/11/pf/college/tennessee-free-community-college/index.html
He's got that right. Fundamental economics 101 - the quality of the work force is key to attracting industries, creating opportunities, and growing our economy. New York state has adopted the same program - tuition free 2 year degrees.
I have been telling a story for years about my friend in Tanzania, Africa. We were visiting with him in 2000, sitting on his front porch. A young Maasai came up and started talking with him. My friend went inside and came out with some money, which he gave to the young man. I asked him what that was all about. He explained that this was the 2nd smartest kid in all of Tanzania. School is free, but he did not have enough money to get books and uniform, so my friend was helping him attend school. I have told that to people, and they say, "That was a nice thing to do". NICE THING TO DO! This is the 2nd smartest kid in this whole country. He comes from the second lowest status tribe, with the smallest opportunity to advance. Who knows what he can bring to the table for our future, who knows what he might discover, promote, create that would benefit all of us. How could we possibly not invest in his future.
We have the same thing every day in our world. We have immigrants who can hardly speak English. We have inner city kids whose parents may not be pushing them to get an education, who can probably never imagine even being able to afford the education. And some of these kids are the smartest ones among us. Our genetic progression is truly random - the genius ones, the creative ones, the ones with real grit, tend to show up randomly. It helps to have good parenting, it helps to grow up in a supportive community, to have good nutrition early on. But how can we possibly not search out the capable ones and make sure they can progress to their highest potential. That has to be the best investment we can all make in our future.
We figured this out decades ago with elementary, and then secondary education. That is not optional in our world - it is a basic requirement. That education gives you the basics to survive, and it helps us identify the potential in every one of us. If you have the potential beyond that point, then we should step up and make college free, if not mandatory!
I recently asked my friend what became of the second smartest kid. He replied:
"You are thinking of Lantang’amwaki Ndwati from an area some three hours north of us here. He went on to get straight A’s through secondary school and in Form five and Six. He expressed an interest in becoming a doctor so I contacted a doctor friend at Selian Lutheran Hospital in Arusha who was able to get him a scholarship to study medicine at KCMC Hospital in Moshi. To my embarrassment, he never showed up for the interview at KCMC and instead applied on his own to the University in Dar-es-Salaam in the school of Economics. He was accepted and got a masters from there and is now teaching Economics at Tumaini University in Arusha. I met him recently and found him happily married with children of his own."
My friend, a missionary priest, obviously figured that an MD would be the most useful thing in the world where he was at the time. The young man, however, decided that economics might present more opportunities and better fit his personal interests. I managed to get some advanced education through the good graces of many others, and at one point I would have also chosen economics over medicine. But that's a whole different story.
How can we not fund our own future by getting every potential PhD and MD that we have among us? These kids are like gold in the ground, waiting to be found and refined.
We had a friend who worked in China for many years. One of his friends was visiting here at the University of MN, a PhD geologist, doing research on the deep ocean vents in the Pacific Ocean. I don't see how the U of M is engaged in the Pacific, but I am glad they are. We befriended this professor, and brought him some used furniture as his student housing was sparsely furnished. We visited with him several times. His biggest concern was that his son would not be admitted to the graduate school of the prestigious university where he graduated, but would rather have to attend a lower rated school to obtain his PhD. In China, if you have the potential, they will fund your education to the highest level you can attain.
Here is an amazing tidbit, 6 European countries will give English speaking students free rides for tuition, no matter their country of origin: Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Slovenia, France.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/080616/6-countries-virtually-free-college-tuition.asp Let me clear on this - these countries will accept OUR brightest and best for free college education, and in English. (France only accepts EU citizens on this basis.) China will also let you pursue a degree in English, but it will cost you $3,000 a year. The best deals are reserved for those who study in Chinese.
Some schools charge registration fees, or nominal tuition. Here is the whole list: https://www.edvisors.com/plan-for-college/money-saving-tips/colleges-with-free-tuition/countries-with-free-tuition/
Those italicized are free to foreign students as well, usually in the local language:
Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, Panama, Poland, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Uruguay.
Other countries only offer free education to the very brightest, making it a competitive challenge to get an advanced degree: China, Russia,
WHY? Why do this free education thing? Here's one example:
"In the United States, the first free public institution of higher education, the Free Academy of the City of New York (today the City College of New York), was founded in 1847 with the aim of providing free education to the urban poor, immigrants and their children. Its graduates went on to receive 10 Nobel Prizes, more than at any other public university.[18]"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_education
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/04/27/germany-sees-benefits-educating-international-students-free
The German population is rapidly aging, and these new graduates can remain for several years or longer on a work visa, and provide the country with a much needed boost to their workforce and younger population. Graduates who return home, bring with thema much a generally positive view of the country around the world. The largest percentage of foreign students in Germany come from China!
Are there negatives? Yes - and it is worth paying attention to those. When public education is universal, the risk always is that the amount we spend on it will decline over time. Our current primary and secondary education systems are greatly stressed in some areas because people are not willing to pay enough to maintain good programs. Our universities could go the same way if the cost is totally a public burden, and people are resistant to paying more.
So - get out and vote! Look around - we really are all in this together.
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