Article IX of the Constitution of the State of North Carolina recognizes the importance of education in maintaining a free and healthy democratic society. Section 1 reads:
Section 1. Education encouraged.
Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools, libraries, and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.
Section 9 of that same section reads:
Sec. 9. Benefits of public institutions of higher education.
The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense.While the state has done a good job of creating a good system of Universities, Community Colleges, public schools and libraries, the General Assembly needs to do much more towards fulfilling their duty in regards to section 9. Tuition prices have risen, often dramatically out-pacing inflation over the decades, putting high quality education out reach for many citizens of our great state. No citizen of our state should be required to graduate from an institution of higher learning with a mountain of debt. The high cost of education places an even greater debt on society. First of all, the expense often discourages people from seeking additional education. The lost opportunities and lower capacity to improve productivity carries with it real economic costs. Moreover, the middle class is especially hurt by the high cost of education because they are often ineligible for government aid offered lower income families and also unable to pay for higher education from their own funds.
Another burden resulting from the high cost of education is increased poverty. Despite the many opportunities for student aid, many poor families forgo higher education because they are intimidated by the cost. Instead of seeking more ways to decrease the cost for the poorest students, the General Assembly should hold to its mandate of encouraging education forever through free and extremely lower cost education. By fostering a culture of education wherein all citizens are equally encouraged and provided with the means of improving skills, gaining knowledge and increasing wisdom, the General Assembly will increase hope, reduce poverty and promote general peace. Everyone knows that as the general population becomes better educated, many social ills decrease.
Education could then become the centerpiece for nearly all of the social programs run by the state. Non-violent offenders should be offered opportunities to go to college or to learn a trade rather than go to jail. Welfare aid should also carry family requirements for the pursuit of education. As individuals and families focused more on education, they would have greater earning power in the marketplace. The need for aid would diminish and tax revenues from a healthy innovative economy would increase.
Free and low cost opportunities for post secondary education would alleviate citizens from the crushing weight of debt that accompanies today's graduates. Ever-increasingly, student loans are crushing the ability of even professionals to meet their families' needs. Debt for education offers diminishing returns as graduates are often unable to practice in their fields of expertise because of interest payments. High personal debts, even for education, create a drag on the economy. In fact, because of student loans, higher education may be a fast track to more poverty.
All communities should band together to pressure to the state to fulfill the mandate of our forefathers. Our hopes for a free and prosperous society rest upon access to good education. Wise founders of our state understood this. That's why the University of North Carolina was the first state university in the US. Let's leave a legacy of education for our children and our children's children forever. Make education free.