Advanced English 12 Guide: Issues in Education and Beyond: Home

Examines the advantages and disadvantages of attending vocational schools and apprenticeships.

Not all people benefit from four years in college, nor do they need a college degree in order to succeed in work or in life. In fact, there are many good jobs available that do not require a bachelor's degree. Many jobs require a solid high school education and some form of vocational training or education that is available through community colleges or technical institutes.

A solution to the problem of excessive student loans is to direct young people away from traditional four-year schools into vocational-oriented training. The apprenticeship model can be a win-win for both students, who get a free education, and corporations, who get skilled workers.

The author states that only one-third or fewer of the websites in her sample provided helpful, specific information for victims of sexual assault. She contends that it is essential for college websites to advise assault victims to seek immediate medical attention. She concludes that providing detailed information about sexual assault will demonstrate that the campus community is committed to preventing such incidents.

The author argues that sexual assault prevention programs should be designed with risk factors in mind, such as attitude toward alcohol and having previously been a victim of sexual assault. He contends that programs can consider these risk factors without engaging in victim blaming. The author also examines the evidence that colleges and universities are systematically under-reporting sexual assault statistics.

Forced by the federal government, colleges have now gotten into the business of conducting rape trials, but they are not competent to handle this job. They are simultaneously failing to punish rapists adequately and branding students sexual assailants when no sexual assault occurred.

The Turner case highlighted the intensely disparate effects and views of sexual assault. Turner's father was quoted as saying his son was being punished for "20 minutes of action," as NPR's Richard Gonzales reported.

The authors acknowledge well-publicized cases of fraudulent for-profit colleges but contend that focusing too much on such cases takes attention away from predatory and fraudulent practices that occur in nonprofit higher education institutions. Nonprofit colleges and universities, the editors argue, engage in some of the same practices that nonprofits refer to as predatory when discussing for-profit schools and therefore deserve a similar level of scrutiny.

Profit motives have infiltrated American colleges and universities over the past ten years. Rather than supporting education, research, and resources for students and communities, money has been allocated to the outsized compensation of high-level administrators.

History of for-profit education in the United States.

The Education Department laid out its plans to eliminate the so-called gainful employment rule, which sought to hold for-profit and career college programs accountable for graduating students with poor job prospects and overwhelming debt. The Obama-era rule would have revoked federal funding and access to financial aid for poor-performing schools.

SUPPORTERS ARGUE
For-profit colleges are stepping up to the task of offering vocational training and other educational opportunities to demographics who otherwise would not pursue higher education. Programs at such institutions offer students valuable training that will prepare them for a career after they graduate. Reports that education at such institutions is sub-par have been inaccurate and misleading, using the wrongdoing of a few bad schools to cast a shadow over the entire sector. The government should not regulate for-profit colleges, and denying them federal aid eligibility would merely reduce educational opportunities for many low-income and minority students.

OPPONENTS ARGUE
For-profit schools use aggressive and deceptive recruiting tactics to convince the most vulnerable portions of the population to enroll in schools they cannot afford. Those students receive substandard education in programs—some of which are not accredited in their respective fields—and graduate with massive student debt and no employment prospects, and the taxpayer ends up footing the bill. The government needs to crack down on abuse in the for-profit college sector by refusing to send federal student aid dollars to those schools until they can prove that their programs are adequately preparing students for employment.

A number of students are learning that many jobs do not require a four-year education while others have been happy to attend community college for two years and then transfer to a more expensive four-year school. Community colleges may not suit everyone's needs, but they do offer a welcome choice in the face of rising college costs.

Community colleges are essential to four-year institutions. Three reasons for this are particularly important: They provide an open door to college that is vital for many young people and that can rarely be duplicated by four-year institutions; they reach a far more diverse group of students than do most four-year colleges and universities; and they are essential for higher education's goal of serving the national interest.

The military offers Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs at over 1,100 colleges and universities as well as Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) programs at over 1,600 high schools. ROTC programs prepare students to serve as military officers and help with college tuition in exchange for pledging service after graduation. JROTC programs provide an introduction to the military and teach leadership skills but do not require students to commit to military service.

In the following viewpoint, the author argues that the military plays an important role in shaping American social policy and has contributed to improved race relations. Throughout US history, he contends, the right to serve in the armed forces has provided immigrants and minorities an opportunity to more fully participate in American society and served as a path for many to citizenship.

Changing views of women serving in combat roles.

The U.S. military has been an all-volunteer force since 1973, and there are no current plans to revive the draft. Yet mandatory enlistment could return if the U.S. faced a grave threat. The Supreme Court ruled in 1981 that only men could be drafted. At the time, women weren't allowed to fight on the front lines, so drafting them made little sense. But in 2015, the U.S. made a historic move by opening combat roles to women.

Discusses the history, characteristics, and reform of college Greek Organizations

The author presents a positive picture of the potential benefits of membership, from taking on leadership roles to giving back to the community to always having a set of close friends.

A look at the damaging effects of hazing in college fraternities.

The U.Va. scandal shone a bright light on fraternities. Some schools responded by changing their policies. Here are two perspectives on Greek life.

SUPPORTERS ARGUE
The NCAA and its corporate partners make billions of dollars from college athletes. Those players should be compensated for their hard work, especially when their names and likenesses are used in merchandise licensed by the NCAA, such as video games.

OPPONENTS ARGUE
Most NCAA athletes do not need to be paid because they compete in sports and play in divisions that earn little or no money for their schools. Paying student athletes would cross the line between professionalism and amateurism and would violate the essence of being a student athlete.

The author explores the non-monetary benefits of college sports, while address an array of other issues plaguing athletic programs, such as exploitation, racism, and cynicism.

Examines the exponential increase in athletic-department revenues in the Power Five conferences.

Some analysts attribute the rise in tuition rates to an increase in demand for college education, as more young people come to believe that they need at least a bachelor’s degree in order to achieve their career goals and increase their earning potential.

Lack of affordability is one of several barriers restricting access to higher education for marginalized groups, including students of color, low-income students, first-generation college students, students with disabilities, and undocumented immigrants. Disparities in educational opportunity and attainment, meanwhile, contribute to the problem of economic inequality. Studies have shown that postsecondary education leads to higher-paying jobs and lower rates of unemployment.

With tuition costs continuing to rise, lawmakers in some states have approved plans that allow residents to attend public colleges without paying tuition. Last year, New York joined other states, including Minnesota, Oregon, and Tennessee, in offering students tuition-free education. New York's governor and a New York Times columnist debate whether that's a good idea.