A new spending bill was proposed to the House of Representatives last Friday that would substantially cut spending by over $100 billion from the President’s fiscal year. This bill proposes cutting the amount of Pell Grants the federal government gives out, along with the complete elimination of Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants. These grants are given to various need-based students in university systems across the nation as scholarships towards their education. However, the U.S. government sees it as handouts that they can no longer afford to give out. This is not the right way to see it.
To many N.C. State students, along with the students across the nation, these grants are the difference between getting an education and not. Cutting these grants is not only cutting money, it is cutting the number of opportunities for Americans to get an education. These grants go to those who normally could not afford to pay the astronomical cost of tuition, as deemed by Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Without these grants, many students do not stand a chance at an education higher than that of a high school degree, which in these ever-changing times is not enough to get past working at McDonalds.
The bill is the largest attempt to pay off the $14 trillion national debt in one swift move. However, the bill includes cuts that will inhibit any further strides from education in a country that thinks it prides itself in education. Cuts in the bill are listed as up to 24.5 percent from the Federal Pell grants in the 2011 fiscal year, which equals up to $5.7 billion. It also asks for the elimination of SEO grants cuts, an additional $757 million from education on the national scale. This is with the hope getting the federal government’s financial house in order–a task that seems nearly impossible due to the already cracked foundation of a poorly-constructed financial structure we now call our economy.
As if the cuts from education from the state weren’t enough, the cut of these programs on the national level is an attempt to save money for the remaining seven months of the fiscal year. This solution is not only a flawed quick-fix, but one that will certainly come back to bite politics in the rear. Offering less opportunities for an education to those who are not able to afford it will prevent some of the most brilliant minds of our future to be stifled. The assistance provided by these scholarships and grants are not only a valuable resource for students, but many times a necessity. While it is to attempt to lower our national deficit, cutting from education is not the route to take.
These cuts are only another blow in the never-ending battle between our government and education. Almost every public university in the nation will be affected by such stupidity in Washington, and they will continue to slash at the opportunities for education to progress unless otherwise stopped. As politicians and representatives of the people, they are required to keep those who elected them pleased.
Now is the time to hold them accountable for their actions. As students, and obligated American citizens, we can speak out against such outrages. The stereotype that students are apathetic towards the decisions our government makes should not be farther from the truth. So let’s prove it to them: find out who your congressman is and contact them with your concerns. Make them work for you.
Find who represents you: http://www.contactingthecongress.org
