Dear Readers: Today, Shrine friend and fellow SLOB Left Coast Rebel asks –
Are we Facing a Student Loan Debt Economic Crisis?
Is the $1 trillion + student loan debt market about to blow up? Yes.
One of the reasons for this crisis in education is detailed in a report just released from the California Association of Scholars, which conducted a 2 year study that found:
- A sharp increase in faculty members who self-identify as radicals. This has led to ‘one-party’ academic departments, such as at Berkeley, where left-of-center faculty members outnumber their right-of-center colleagues in Political Science by a ratio of 28:2, in English 29:1 and in History 31:1.
- Curricula that promote political activism, in violation of UC regulations. Critical Race Studies at UCLA’s School of Law, for example, aims to be a “training ground” for “advocates committed to racial justice theory and practice.”
- Departments that erase the study of Western tradition. History majors are not required to take a survey course in Western civilization on any of the nine University of California undergraduate campuses.
- Suppression of free speech. Speakers at UC Berkeley who have been shouted down by protesters include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
Not to say that this comes as a surprise, but anyone who wants details can check out CRISIS IN COMPETENCE — The Corrupting Effect of Political Activism in the University of California.
From the report:
John Ellis, president of the California Association of Scholars, said, “The quality of education at the University of California has been jeopardized by political activism. Dogmatism is rapidly displacing open-minded inquiry, especially in the social sciences and humanities, to the severe disadvantage of students.” Ellis added, “Public confidence in the University is also eroding.”
The professorial attitude that they they are entitled to platinum salaries and their world view protected from challenge does seem to seep down to their students, many of them who have graced “Occupy” camps.
As the Goddess of Capitalism notes: Raising prices while lowering quality results in a business model that is full of fail. If UC schools bothered to teach capitalism, they might have recognized the problem.
The recession and the menacing higher education bubble
The value of education is now over-rated.
The average wages of new college graduates are declining. A college degree is no longer a guarantee of steady income growth, and there are actually organizations devoted to stopping the “college mentality.” Paypal’s Peter Thiel feels so strongly about this that he is paying 24 students $100,000 each to not go to college.
Graduates with huge amounts of debt cannot help stimulate the economy because their debt is a serious burden on their lives and their spending habits. There are growing indications that college debt is “toxic,” especially because it is non-bankruptable, and unemployment (as well as under-employment) is at an all time high for young Americans.
*************************************************************************************************
For an example of great scholarship, on the other hand, check out Word Warrior’s military history blog series on the Age of Arthur: THE AGE OF ARTHUR: PART 5
Related to another HOT issue impacting CALIFORNIA, Charles Caesar: San Diego: Lord Monckton Battles Global Warming M
California Assemblyman (77th) Brian Jones commented that many lawmakers who passed The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32) did not know what it was. It turned out to be the United Nations 1997 Kyoto Accord. AB32 is the entry point for global governance.
The members of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) are appointed and operate outside any legislative oversight. CARB will be implementing Cap and Trade.ad Men
. Charles attended a speech given by the extremely popular Global Warming denier.
California Assemblyman (77th) Brian Jones commented that many lawmakers who passed The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32) did not know what it was. It turned out to be the United Nations 1997 Kyoto Accord. AB32 is the entry point for global governance.
The members of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) are appointed and operate outside any legislative oversight. CARB will be implementing Cap and Trade.
Thanks Leslie for the link! One topic that was also discussed at USD by Lord Monckton is that England is considering unrecognizing the entire UC system as a credible scientific organization.