The US should Ensure Access to Quality Education For Everyone

"Even in such a utopia those who refuse to learn, to put in the time and effort required, would not higher education levels; such fools would fail. I don't think effort is at all irrelevant to how far someone goes in their education. A total lack of effort wouldn't result in an education but rather a waste of time and money." Firstly, I would ask my opponent to clarify the above statement; I belive you have contradicted yourself... correct me if I'm wrong. "I don't see how the rich getting a good education bars the non-rich from also achieving that goal. True, it may not be as easy to obtain but nothing worth attaining is. This argument is little more than jealousy; if the poor placed as much effort in finding ways to educate themselves as they do whining about their circumstances perhaps education levels would be equal." The fact that the rich are getting a good education doesn't bar the non-rich from doing so, but that's not the point. The idea is that it is simply unfair that the non-rich are not able to attend the same institutions as the rich. According to http://privateschool.about.com..., 2011, Le Rosey, the best school in Switzerland, costs a hefty $85,000 for admission. No matter how hard working, where do you propose the poor get that kind of money? Even if they amassed all of their enormous "whining" energy, they still would have difficulty amassing tuition for a good school. My opponent inquires about my precise proposition regarding how to make education equal. I propose that it be illegal to be transferred to any higher educational institution before you demonstrate exemplary performance in government and/or public institutions. After this goal is attained, there are two possible courses of action; firstly, if you are rich, you would then be allowed to transfer to a more advanced institution, payed for with the family's money. Alternately, you could stay in the public system. If you are non-rich, you would receive a full government scholarship that would cover tuition as well as basic tuition costs. "I don't see how racial de-segregation reaches your goal. St. Louis is one of the most de-segregated public school system (still using busing) and yet the education outcomes are still poor in the city. The only part of your conclusion I agree with is that Education is related to knowledge." Education is related to de-segregation. Earlier in our history, the federal government had desegregated education. Why? If segregation had nothing to do with education, why would the government intervene in this respect? "You say education levels are "almost always" determined by wealth. So, in what circumstances isn't it determined by how rich you are? You're not exactly consistent on this point." There are no circumstances lacking anomalies. In this event, one might be if a family was rich but unable or unwilling to send their child to a higher institution. "The 10th amendment states that, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Nowhere in the Constitution is the Federal government granted the power over education nor the responsibility to ensure it for all Americans. So on the Constitutional level, I'd have to argue that, no, the US (Federal) should not ensure access to quality education and that it would be the states responsibility or even more important the individual's." I concede this point. However, as educational reform is necessary, the states should respond in accordance to this policy. Also, the tenth amendment states that the freedoms are reserved by "...the people." I think you would agree that the majority of the US population fit the non-rich category. If it is the will of the people, or if it benefits the people, it should be passed into federal law. CONCLUSION I propose to make education good and equal for everyone because the current system is unfair and squanders a lot of potential. How would you feel if you were the poor one? How would you feel if your potential was squandered because people thought that you should "stop whining?" Thank you. I am waiting eagerly for your response. ant981228