INSCMagazine: Get Social!

Education in the United States has been on the downturn for many, many years. The government has put many laws in place in hopes of overcoming the current hurdles, but this has never come to fruition. Instead, student grades continue to decline and the burden of student debt continues to accumulate.

One program in the Bronx will look to make college education slightly more affordable. The ASAP initiative is designed to help a student pay for higher education, without needing to go into debt. In the Bronx, students have it terribly hard.

Nineteen percent of all Bronx students will default on their student loans. Students at the Bronx Community College now have an alternative. They can graduate with a two-year associate’s degree without the debt. The ASAP program was started 10 years ago in New York City.

Now, it is gaining nationwide attention and has been adapted for schools in Ohio and California. Eligible students are allowed to pay their tuition using federal Pell Grants. In return, they do not have to pay this money back. On top of that, they get money for books and a monthly MetroCard. The students may owe a few thousand dollars after school is over, but it is far better than what is being offered by traditional lenders.

West Virginia Teacher Strike Ends With A Promise Of A 5 Percent Raise

West Virginia united together over a week ago to “revolt against austerity policies.” The walkout, which lasted a total of nine days, finally came to an end Tuesday. Some teachers admitted to being angry and fed up with the austerity policies. West Virginia’s Republican governor’s offer of a 1 percent raise was not enough to prevent the teachers from striking.

In 2016, the striking teachers earned approximately $45,622. According to the National Education Association, West Virginia ranks 47th among the American States in teacher salaries. Other states that paid less than West Virginia includes Mississippi, South Dakota and Oklahoma. The year 2014 was the last time the 20,000 West Virginia public schoolteachers received an “across-the-board raise,” according to a New York Times report. It is a clear-cut win for the teachers of West Virginia. Now, it seems like teachers in other states are taking notice. Groups throughout the United States are now considering going on strike to increase teacher wages across the nation. Only time will tell whether or not they’re able to obtain the same results.

Education For Everyone?

Due to student loans and the burdens they bring, higher education was undoubtedly a trap for the poor.

These individuals simply couldn’t handle the debt and would likely wind up defaulting. This could change with programs like ASAP. It is also important to look at the plight of teachers. Are these individuals being paid enough to raise the nation’s next great generation?

With help from ASAP and other similar programs, America’s students may no longer have to worry about trying to find a credit monitoring service to keep an eye on their credit score. Something must be done about the student debt problem and the government has ultimately failed every step of the way.

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