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Re: F. Roger Devlin's Higher Education: The Impossibility Of Reform

From: An Orlando Reader [Email him]

I recently met a young Hispanic woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties, working in the men’s section of a department store. She explained that she had been working part-time in a thrift store when a recruiter for a private “university” enrolled her for classes, assisting her with all the necessary student loan documents. This “university” specializes in multi-media, and as near as I can tell functions off student loans that must be paid directly to the school. These are kids that may be capable of Community College level work, at best.

She told me that she received a BA in Business with a specialty in Hip Hop Music Production (just what the world needs). She is now about $50,000 in debt and has no prospects for work in the music industry - or any industry, for that matter. She has defaulted on her loan, and is now back working part-time in a clothing store.

The difference is that she is now “educated.”