A Right?

The picture in the New and Observers front page (on November 17, 2011) shows students protesting the proposed increase in tuition. They are carrying large banners, sheets with paint on them, proclaiming that "Education is a Right." The slogan has caused me to pause and give thought. Is Education a "right" of every person?

The cost of education has been rising at a much faster rate than the cost of living. The cost of college education has been rising at about 40% over the last decade. The College of Charleston recently announced that it was lowering the cost of education at their school. They said that it made no sense to keep raising the cost and then have to give more and more financial aid.

The high cost of college education has forced a great number of students to leave college with incredible high student debts. So the protest against another increase in tuition certainly has a legitimate place. Education is essential for the new economic realities facing the world. A recent comment was made about Raleigh, that the unemployment rate for college graduates was 4.7%. The unemployment for those who had not finished high school was 18%. Education is a necessity for future employment.

The Declaration of Independence says we have the rights to live, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Those "rights" have been given to all people by the creator. There are other gifts that have been given to all citizens by a social contract. One of those rights is the right to vote, and that gift was only gradually given to all citizens. Property owners, men, women, and finally blacks.

When we became a community and entered into a social agreement, again education was not one of them. Education was done by the religious communities and it was given to a select group. Health Care was another service that was limited and given by religious communities. Because the benefits of both education and health care were visible to communities, the whole community agreed that it would be a good thing for all its citizens to be able to benefit from education and health care. Public Education and Public Hospitals were begun.

But the Public Education for all people, the agreement in the community, is only through high school. Public Education at the college and beyond is selective. It is available only for those who meet or exceed the admission standards. There is not an obligation on the party of society to provide college education for all its citizens. At least, I do not remember that statement ever being made. Perhaps the Community College systems with their open door policy seek to offer advanced education to all citizens.

Is Education a Right? Perhaps the six year old has a legitimate argument that education is a right of that child as a result of being a part of the community which has said it was going to provide that service for all children. The College Student?.... I still have trouble with the word right.