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Transit Union Supports President's Call for Free Community
College
Amalgamated Transit
Union International President Larry Hanley issued the
following statement in support of President Obama’s
initiative to give all young Americans the chance to attend
two years of community college, tuition free.
“At the turn of the 20th century, when America was largely
an agrarian society, we decided that all youth should be
provided 12 years of free education. Now, more than 100
years later – in our high tech, high information age – we
still provide only 12 years of universal education.
“Congress got it right in 1958, when it passed the National
Defense Education Act, which provided guaranteed student
loans to generations of college students, recognizing that
higher education is essential to our national defense.
“Similarly, the president’s community college proposal would
do more to improve our national security than 100 aircraft
carriers, as it will build the intellectual infrastructure
we need to thrive, and put our people to work.
“With the average monthly cost of college now twice that of
your average house payment, higher education has become
out-of-reach for many Americans. And those who do attend,
leave with staggering debts that ultimately drag down our
economy.
“This trend further exacerbates the growing income gap
between the rich who can afford college on their own, and
the vast majority of qualified Americans who can’t go to
college and whose job prospects and standard-of-living are
therefore degraded for the rest of their lives. This plan
could help close that gap.
“ATU applauds the president for this forward-looking
proposal. All Americans deserve the right to higher
education regardless of their race, religion or income
level. We urge all Americans to get behind it.” |
