this post was submitted on 06 Jul 2024
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Counterpoint: universities exist to teach young people to be competent, well rounded members of society, including exposure to quality academics, music, art and sport. If you just want job training, go to trade school; if you just want academics, go to the library.
That’s what high school does (or should do).
That counter point is a classist view that id all too common in america. Not saying you are classist by having that view. But that a system based on that view, which america is, is classist.
Universities have historically been institutions of class structure, and not just in the US. I doubt that will change any time soon, and can't honestly think of how it could. Tertiary education requires that a person give up some part of their potentially-working day to activities that don't pay rent or put food on the table. Nevermind direct costs of education, if you don't pay people to be students, then it will continue to reinforce class structure.
Personally, I think it's in the state's interest to encourage every individual to pursue as much education, of whatever form, as they choose. Tertiary education through university, college, or trade school ought to be without direct cost, and we ought to have enough social safety net to secure people while they pursue it. Do that, and some new structure will develop so employers can identify upper-class candidates, like unpaid internships.
That’s not how it is here in switzerland.
High school is to be well rounded.
In uni 95% of your courses are in your subject matter. Also non-university jobs are well valued. To the point we are on of the only countries where the working class isn’t getting poorer year on year compared to the 1%