Once again, the marginalized in California are getting the shortend of the stick.
If it is not bad enough that teens from low-income neighborhoodshave to compete with violence, gangs and drugsin order to even know about the opportunities offered by a collegeeducation, our “governator” decided in his proposed budget plan togive them another hurdle to clear.
According to The Sacramento Bee, Schwarzenegger is calling for atotal recall of recruitment and outreach programs that arecollaborative efforts between public high schools and both theUniversity of California and California State University systems.
These cuts would dent the budget by cutting $110 million in thegeneral fund during the next 19 months. What this means is there willbe more unemployed teens as they graduate from high school andscrounge to find jobs, as well as an education system cateringparticularly to the overprivileged.
One of the good things about San Diego State is the number ofstudents who come here from low-income backgrounds. Not only doesthis add diversity to the school, but it also provides entirefamilies with a chance to experience the benefits of a collegeeducation. The first generation of college-bound students in a familyis more likely to produce college-bound offspring. That is why wehave outreach programs to minority, first-generation Americans andlow-income families.
I work at a middle school in a neighborhood once known for itsrates of failure. However, through outreach programs, college toursand just simple information about what they could do with their livesafter finishing high school, students have new open doors they neverknew existed. Many of these children have older siblings who neverfinished high school or who found low-wage jobs right out of highschool. They do not know what college is – many of them have neverheard of the SATs. All they know about is the microcosm around them,and whatever the media choose to throw at them. That is why we needto keep these outreach programs alive.
The term “outreach” implies these people are on the verge ofsinking into a pit of despair. We need to grab their hands beforethey sink, pull them into colleges and universities, and give themthe same chances the privileged have, in terms of education. Ipropose to the governor to grab the $110 million from celebrities,business leaders and heirs to fortunes (Paris Hilton being one ofthem) instead of cutting these programs. If presidential candidatescan raise millions of dollars over a similar time span, I am prettysure these same “philanthropists” can raise the money to save theseoutreach programs. That way, Arnold doesn’t have to raise those awfultaxes and may, at the same time, show the public he really does careabout those who make less than six-figure incomes.
– Rudy De La Torre is a social science senior.
– This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of TheDaily Aztec. Send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com.Anonymous letters will not be printed – include your full name, majorand year in school.
