@Bill H Yeah children don't need to know about protesting... hopefully the next generation will just shut up and take it! And only rich people should be educated right Bill! Soon we can just start killing off the poor people. Only a few more basic rights to go.

Ever wonder how countries who were world leaders become third world wastelands? (India, China) Well start taking notes. We are already behind most developed countries in terms of education, and technology, but we are still #1 in the world for Murders and rapes. HOORAY! WE'RE NUMBER 1!

Limiting education is not a step in the right direction. Our completely FUBAR'ed system gives the worst criminals free education (among other benefits), but law abiding citizens have to pay. WTF!

And you think the problem is the woman who brought her kid to a college campus to protest tuition hikes, yeah your right the inhumanity of it all indeed.

And with Jack Boots Strapped Up, Tyranny Exposes its Ugly Head, Stomping on the Land of Liberty.

Seriously, Bill? Riots?!

Bravo Jingo, bravo! I agree!

Read the story people. The 4 year old was just in the crowd at the college trustee board meeting. She wasn't brought in by protesters. BLAME POLICE!

The woman and child were innocent bystanders, not part of the group of student protestors. A case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I agree with Bill. Children have no place at protests.

$540 for a 'high demand course'! That's very high from any point of view! In California, a high demand class could be "50 ways to prepare Tofu" or "Maximix your Government Handouts 101"

A protest is not a riot.

People will always have the guts to stand up for what they believe and they are setting examples for the young people. Humanity will NEVER be silenced. Change will always come. That I know to be true.

These people ARE motivated, much more motivated than those that sit silently and allow only the rich to get an education. The are motivated to change the world and make it a better place for the next generation.

Next thing will be rubber bullets as these low paid security officers do the bidding of their corporate masters. Barf barf...lap dogs for the well to do...barf

In the crowd that stormed a trustee board meeting is not the same as being an innocent by stander. So, by that huge stretch, the 4 y/o was just hanging around on the swings that were somehow provided in a room, on a college campus, when suddenly (s)he was swept up in all the purely coincidental excitement, and then a cow jumped over Newt Gingrich's moon base. If that's really the case, then the parent should be referred to child protection services and prosecuted for negligence and reckless endangerment.

Typical right wing responses, blaming the victims.

So I guess its not just Occupy protestors that cops pepperspray....

I've said it before and I'll say it again. We need to press our lawmakers to outlaw the use of pepperspray, mace and tasers for passive resistance. Most police departments prefer the use of these things to using batons but the cops have become over zealous with them and people are getting hurt.

A handful of protesters suffered minor injuries as campus police tried to prevent dozens of students chanting, "Let us in, let us in" and "No cuts, no fees, education should be free,"

Give em hell! When you're done with that one come on down to my local chevy dealership. I'm starting a protest. Our chant will be "Let us in, let us in" and "No interest, no underbody coating, no scotchguard, no payments, no finance fees, my Corvette should be free!"

The child was an innocent bystander....that said, I am in college and rates are going up faster than we can pay them. Last year alone I saw three rate hikes, 8%, 15% and 15%. Think about paying for your education for 3 years and then being priced out, unable to obtain your degree.

I would also like to note that our Republican governor...you know the same people crying about the debt we will leave our children, is the one giving the rallying call to raise rates. These are the same people that cried a river when this administration took away fees given to banks for shuffling papers. Among those crying a river for the banks is a Republican senator that too over 250k to write a book for our local college. It sold 4 copies and that was only due to intense pressure to publish it. Until then, it was a book that sat in a glass case that no one was allowed to read.

College students understand rates go up and nothing is free. What we don't understand is how anyone can justify 400 dollars for a text book. We really do not understand how the dean of a school can purchase a 10k fish tank yet not be able to purchase a new computer for the lab. We watch as wealthy donors hand-pick professors who will further their social agendas (Koch brothers). All the while we are taught about democracy in our courses. Funny, my text said nothing about a Republican governor appointing a town czar as one did in Benton Harbor, Mi.

This protest is not only about the rise in fees, its about democracy and the lack there of. Its about the hypocrisy of a group that says publicly they care about the debt left to our children.

Lets see, We pay taxes that are supposed to go toward education. Money brought in by lotto in state lotteries is supposed to go toward education. Colleges get state funding that is supposed to go toward education. Our legislators strip these funds from programs they are targeted for, burden us with additional taxes to make up for what they are stealing and then steal the money again for their own purposes. then they OK tuition hikes for these same colleges that give their coaches huge pay hikes and bonuses while cutting teachers salaries or letting them go all together. Yep! Looks like being able to throw a football or shoot a basket is more important than actually being able to get an affordable education. Sporting events bring in revenue which gives our legislators and the people running our campuses more money to put in their pockets. That money should be going back into the school system.

Paul, nothing is free. So please explain to me why I paid more taxes than Exxon. Please explain to me why I pay 2k a month for my family to have health insurance while my governor pays 40 dollars for better coverage. And please tell me why I just paid 350 for an ex ray that blue cross pays 30 dollars for. Youre right Paul nothing is free but some people pay a hell of a lot more than others.

students tried to storm a Santa Monica College trustee board meeting.

Sounds to me like a protest that was became controled by police before it became a riot.

"Let us in, let us in" and "No cuts, no fees, education should be free,"

What a bunch of entitled brats. NOTHING is free. Someone has to pay for it. So, what they really meant was, "No cuts, no fees, I want you to buy an education for me".

Up to 30 people were pepper-sprayed by police after students tried to storm a Santa Monica College trustee board meeting in protest over proposed higher course fees.

Read the very first sentence. They weren't just standing there when they got sprayed.

I worked on a fishing boat on the Bering Sea to make money for college. But these useless brats just want things handed to them.

D-Buck------You really think there are no unemployed tradesmen( Electricians,Plumbers,Carpenters) ? Where do you get this crapola ? Fox News or your own head ? Did some right winger say it in a comment and because you agree with his Obama hatred you think it is true ? Because let tell you tradesmen are the most likely to be un-employed do to the housing collapse and in turn they started a trickle down effect of everyone else being layed-off due to a decrease in retail demand...And this is why expanded un-employment is a good idea because atleast these folks get some money which in turn they will spend every dollar and keep others working since they need even more dollars then un-employment checks give them( They were living off many more dollars before their loss of a job ).....Bottom line you are talking out your nether regions..

Tami1

First, you have not paid more taxes than Exxon. That is propaganda. But I sure do not know why oil companies have big tax breaks, when and why did that start? It should have been slowly phased out. I understand that the Democrats want to take away those tax breaks under the guise of lowering the cost of fuel. If the oil companies have to pay more in taxes, they will just pass on the cost. No good answer here.

There sure is allot of unfairness when both you and I, as most people have to pay allot more than our governing body. The answer is: They make the rules. We need to elect people who will change this. I hope there are people willing to serve that believe like you and me. I wonder?

Blue Cross and other health care companies get a better price because of volume. Their price is negotiated with the facilities when they enter into a contract. I don't know why you paid so much if you have healthcare which you state you do. If for some reason your healthcare was not paying for the X-ray you can negotiate with the provider "before" the service is provided. I doubt you get the same price as Blue Cross, but it can be done. I have done it.

Yep, some people pay more than others. I am one of them. I have $258.00 taken out of every pay check. I have a $35.00 Co-pay to visit my Doctor and as high as a $70.00 co-pay for prescriptions. I know this is higher than allot but probably lower than others. When I accepted my job, this was the package I accepted. I am not a politician, so I cannot vote myself a lower rate.

They don't want stuff for free...

That's funny, cuz I'm pretty I read "education should be free" in their little chant. But I did read clear to the end of the sentence. For some people that's just too much effort.

For you dumb@sses who are blaming the students. Maybe you should pull your receipts from college out and look up how much you paid to attend. I can promise it wasn't 5000 dollars a semester. And then try and remember how much long it took you to pay off your education.

You're right, it was over $25,000 per semester. I'm still not done paying for it, but can look forward to it paying for itself several times over. Kids in California should check out colleges in the northeast sometime if they're looking for something to protest.. yeesh.

A protest is no longer peaceful when the protesters forcefully attempt to enter a meeting they were not invited to, to participate in a democratic process that does not exist. This reminds me of the Occupy movement storming the lobbies of Manhattan office towers demanding "a meeting with the CEO" as if Jamie Dimon was just putting around his office upstairs and had a clear schedule.

There are ways to protest the mismanagement of education funds, and there are ways to have your voice heard to influence change. I certainly advocate for that. However, storming the building and demanding free stuff accomplishes nothing. Since, you know, nothing is free and there are societal rules on behavior. Who else is really, really sick of protesters?

Storming the meeting does not sound "peaceful" to me. To a certain degree, "forcing" a situation has its consequences and I feel certain that no one intended for the little girl who was pepper sprayed.

Blame it on those who tried to "force their will" on others.

Californians (I live in california) are very confused about what the world. Most don't believe anything exists beyond its borders. They believe in free higher education. I can't fathom what makes them think college should be free. They really need to wake up and realize they are pampered by looking at tuition anywhere else. Grad school here in California is much less expensive than undergrad in most other states.

Keep in mind if the prices are too high, shop somewhere else. You don't have to go to a 4 year university for all 4 years; do the smart thing and go to junior college first to cover the general education requirements at a much lower out of pocket cost. University is not a right, its a privelage; earn it!

trust2112,

For you dumb@sses who are blaming the students. Maybe you should pull your receipts from college out and look up how much you paid to attend. I can promise it wasn't 5000 dollars a semester. And then try and remember how much long it took you to pay off your education.

What? You think them ivory towers are cheap? No buddy. They're real expensive and they think you should be happy to pay them to elevate them to such status.

For someone calling people dumbasses and then having a the album cover for Rush as your avatar you're not the sharpest tool in the shed. You do know that Rush is a huge supporter of Ayn Rand's Objectivism? The album 2112 is totally antithetical to your position.

What do you expect from a state that is bankrupt? Millions of illegal aliens and giving everything to everyone for free has caught up with that state. Now people are complaining because they have to pay more? You let this happen California by electing dopes to run the state the past 20 years. Everyone is paying more for everything. This is just the beginning. Eventually the whole United States will be like Greece if they don't stop printing money and stop being such and an entitlement country.

For you dumb@sses who are blaming the students. Maybe you should pull your receipts from college out and look up how much you paid to attend. I can promise it wasn't 5000 dollars a semester. And then try and remember how much long it took you to pay off your education.

I'm going to take it for granted that you already included books in that price, otherwise your math doesn't work. I graduated several years ago, and it did cost me that much a semester with books included. These students are paying $46 a credit hour currently, that is nothing compared to the cost of most universities. When I applied for school, the cheapest tuition was at a school that charged $135 a credit hour. These students have nothing to protest about. Maybe I'll go protest them not getting a minimum wage job to pay for their schooling.

Having a child near a protest where the imperial stormtroopers are organizing is stupid, really. What did this mother expect?

The dole is running dry! What these "protesters" fail to understand is that they live in a state that is bankrupt because of it's progressive-liberal agenda.

Well, suck it up! No education is free. You want to go to a community college - get a job. It's not like the academic burdenat at a community college is so overwhelming that you can't work too.

Besides, the givers are sick and tired of the takers! Be responsible for yourself and the choices you make.

As far as a little kid being pepper sprayed - the parent is solely responsible for this. You have no business having your kid around or subject to a protest. Just another idiot parent!

For you dumb@sses who are blaming the students. Maybe you should pull your receipts from college out and look up how much you paid to attend. I can promise it wasn't 5000 dollars a semester. And then try and remember how much long it took you to pay off your education.

Actually, my tuition was $3000 to $5000 a semester. And I didn't need to worry about paying it off. I wasn't willing to finance my future, so I busted my ass, and had the cash on hand before I went to school.

It is all about Gimme-Gimme-Gimme-NOW_NOW_NOW. Wonder if any of these students realize they will eventually have to pay. The land of opportunity doesn't come with a free pass!!!!!!! I find you treasure it more if you actually earn it and then you know what it is worth.

And fortunately, the dole will being coming to an even more grinding hault starting January, 2013!

"No cuts, no fees, education should be free,"

Spoken by children who have no clue that nothing is free. Here is a prime example of a broken educational system, taught by Teachers who are filling student's heads with this crap. The very same Teachers who are making a comfortable living, with higher pay and richer benefits than those of the taxpayers in the private sector.

What evidence to you have that shows the US has the highest rate of rape and murder? Also we might be falling behind in education because unlike other countries such as India, students can always find another way to fund school, even the drop outs. That can lower their initiative to work hard and they end up worrying more about their social life then their studies. College should be for learning, not partying. At the college I attend I always see people more worried about Facebook then what the teacher is lecturing on. Or they talk in class and make it harder for people like me who want to learn.

Education is important. An educated workforce makes us more competitive globally. As the greatest nation on earth, we strive to provide a good education for our children. Education costs money. The question is who should bear that cost. We ALL benefit from an educated workforce. Therefore, we've decided that we should ALL pitch in to educate our children.

Education CANNOT be compared to a car dealership. It CANNOT be compared to food, or shelter, or cell phones. Those comparisons evidence an ignorance of simple macro economics. Education = productivity and competition on a global scale.

Protests are patriotic. These students should be commended for standing up for the virtues of accessibility to education. Their rants that it should be free may be immature but their message is important. The baby boomers are aging. They've left us younger generations with a lot of problems that we, now, will have to fix. It's the burden of being born on the down slope of a population burst and we're just beginning to accept the reality of the task before us. Remember, it's the benefits that you older folks enjoyed that us younger folks are now going to have to pay for and education is one of those.

I, personally, saw a 60% increase in my tuition at the University of Minnesota Law School from 2007 to 2010. When I accepted the U's offer of enrollment, they told me I'd be paying $10,000 flat tuition each year. The U had a reputation of being the only top 20 law school with an affordable tuition. I accepted the U's offer over many other top law schools based in part on this reputation. In 2008, the market crashed. Many wealthy people became much, much wealthier as a result of this crash. The middle class suffered. As a result, public funding for the law school diminished and tuition was forced up. Today, in-state tuition at UMN's Law School is $34,817 and $43,385 for nonresidents. That's a 300% increase from 2007. At the same time, average starting salaries for attorneys have decreased. Overall wages have ran stagnant. When kids protest these things they have good reason. None of them are asking for a free handout. They're simply hoping for the same benefits you were given.

you gotta love the right wing knotheads, they hate the government, but if you protest the government they hate YOU...

@sw philly

Spence---They don't want stuff for free...

Read the article please. Education should be free was what they were chanting

And cops should never be able to get away with pepper spraying peaceful protesters exercising their constitutional right to peaceably protest and assemble ( See Bill of Rights its in there)

Please check out the Bill of Rights yourself. Even a public school is considered to be private property, the First Amendment doesn't give you the right to do jack sht on private property. There is nothing more ridiculous than people whining and crying about the Constitution when they obviously haven't taken even 30 seconds to learn anything about it.

and allow only the rich to get an education.

That is a completely false and asinine statement. Every brother or sister in my extremely lower-middle class family who wanted a college education worked for one and earned one. It's still possible today. And not one single one of my seven brothers or sisters regret having a degree or what they had to do to earn one.

I have friends who are in their 50's whom, when they couldn't find work, 'bit the bullet' and went back to school for either a first or second degree - and this was done within the past 5-6 years.

"Only the rich to get an education"?? I'm guessing that next it'll be "only the rich can afford Bentley's or Roll's.. I want a free one of those too.

News flash - Things Cost Money. Educations (Yes, educations that the instructors at those colleges worked hard to earn and now need to be paid for) cost money. Perhaps they should all just donate their time so that the protestors (who are not protesting the meteoric rise of gas prices by the way) can have more free stuff.

Stupid.. just stupid.

State Atty said:

Education is important. An educated workforce makes us more competitive globally. As the greatest nation on earth, we strive to provide a good education for our children. Education costs money. The question is who should bear that cost. We ALL benefit from an educated workforce. Therefore, we've decided that we should ALL pitch in to educate our children.

First of all, college students are NOT children. They are adults! And yes, our country does benefit from and educated workforce - and so does the student. After high school, the choice to go to college, trade school or other further education should be shouldered by the student. It is their choice to go. We can't control how long they stay in school, what their choice of degree is, how well they do or what they choose to do with the education - so we should not be on the hook to pay for their choices!

Students can get loans, scholarships, work or have family help. Very little of college education should be subsidized (if at all) by the tax payers and only for a limited amount of time.

Svenolafson

trust2112,

For you dumb@sses who are blaming the students. Maybe you should pull your receipts from college out and look up how much you paid to attend. I can promise it wasn't 5000 dollars a semester. And then try and remember how much long it took you to pay off your education.

What? You think them ivory towers are cheap? No buddy. They're real expensive and they think you should be happy to pay them to elevate them to such status.

For someone calling people dumbasses and then having a the album cover for Rush as your avatar you're not the sharpest tool in the shed. You do know that Rush is a huge supporter of Ayn Rand's Objectivism? The album 2112 is totally antithetical to your position

Rush is a band, not a person. Neil Peart is the primary songwriter of Rush and did express an objectivism in the 70s, however in 1994 he distanced himself from that philosophy. And, now calls himself a "left-leaning libertarian."

These socialist drones attempted to strike again demanding among other things "free education". They don't really need an "education" in the traditional sense, they only need classes on socialist/Marxist dogma. After all, when socialism abolishes capitalism, the collective will assign them a meaningless job and provide them with their ration of victory gin.

I love how the red meat, liberty or death crowd always tells people to shut up when they protest. This is liberty, this is freedom, being pepper sprayed by government officials is not. Regardless of the issue everyone from occupy to the tea party has the right to assemble and have their voices heard. Telling your fellow American's to shut up and take it only allows the machine to keep on steam rolling all of us. Until we put our differences and petty divisive issues aside to stand up to the rich and powerful, we will all continue to shut up and take it right up the ass.

@ 2112

Wages have been stagnant for the last 15 years, and who has been the party in power during 90% of these years?

Guess you should have thrown more money in for your education too. Clinton 5 yrs, GW 8 yrs, Obama 3+ yrs, Who was in power 90% of the last 15 yrs. If a Car is traveling 80 mph, how long does it take to go 80 miles. DA !

"No cuts, no fees, education should be free,"

I wonder how many of the protestors are studying to be educators and are planning on working for free.

I do not agree at all with the position of the protesters. Nothing is free, including education. Someone is paying for it.However, they do have a right to protest whether we agree or not. Also, it does not matter if the lady brought her child, or they were just innocent bystanders, the police have no business pepper spraying a child in the face or anywhere else. If you cannot do your job correctly and lawfully, you need to go. There are no excuses for doing that to children. None. Period.

Wasen't it President Obama that first brought up that the taxpayers should provide a free college education? Maybe this is where they got the idea. I guess they did not realize he was just campaigning for/purchasing their vote.

look, i think people are missing the most important aspect of this, it's not the protest, it's not the pepper spray, it's not the price of college. it's that poor child, FOR THE LOVE OF PEARL!!!! THERE'S A FOOT GROWING OUT OF THE BACK OF IT'S HEAD!!! HAHAHA "free laughs for me!!!"

My protest is much simpler..... My student loans will not be paid back! Colleges and Universities rely on ripping off students and the banks do too..... Education is like buying a used car for the price of a Ferrari.... All the while the College and University Presidents prey on the student population by receiving excessive salaries....

OK lefty losers, the point is that NO ONE has the RIGHT to interupt that meeting. The moment the crowd got "unruly" the popo has the duty to squash it, and fast. For all you victim mentalists out there if you don't want to get sprayed don't defy a lawfull order from the police. And yes the police have the authority to give lawful order that MUST be obeyed by the public. As far as the kid being there, DHS should be called. Nice parenting loser.

raddave,

Rush is a band, not a person. Neil Peart is the primary songwriter of Rush and did express an objectivism in the 70s, however in 1994 he distanced himself from that philosophy. And, now calls himself a "left-leaning libertarian."

Yeah, obviously Rush is a band. Geddy Lee sang my favorite song "Take Off". So what's your point? Numbnuts is using the 2112 ablum cover as his avatar.

Education should be free? No, but it should be affordable. In general, protesting a change that will (in your opinion) make your education much more expensive is reasonable.

Then we get down to this event. Based on the comments from the student "leader" and college spokesman, they were told that the meeting was "open" and then the students were being shown to another room where they could watch the meeting on TV. Not exactly what I would call an open meeting, and if I was one of the students, I might have started calling out to be allowed access to the actual meeting as well.

Were the students really "storming" the meeting, or were they just getting vocal about being shunted to another room? Should the college have had someone there to say something along the lines of "pick two or three volunteers to come speak at the meeting, sorry but there's no room for more." rather than going to pepper spray? Had they already tried that, and been ignored? We don't have any of this information, just a half-page blurb that seems designed to fan outrage from as many directions as possible.

@Fed Up-3261941

My protest is much simpler..... My student loans will not be paid back! Colleges and Universities rely on ripping off students and the banks do too..... Education is like buying a used car for the price of a Ferrari.... All the while the College and University Presidents prey on the student population by receiving excessive salaries....

So colleges are ripping us off and to get even with them you are going to rip off the banks that gave you the loan. The loan which, btw, you agreed to pay based on the tuition rate you also agreed to. Well at least you are consistent, none of your posts make a whole lot of sense.

@Xerxes-2735213

Education should be free? No, but it should be affordable. In general, protesting a change that will (in your opinion) make your education much more expensive is reasonable.

Is it? Is it more reasonable than say, oh I don't know, choosing a different school that has lower tuition? Do people also have the right to go into a restaurant and protest because they think a meal there is too expensive? How about the grocery store, the prices of food are skyrocketing, maybe we should all head to the local grocery store and demand that they lower their prices? Yeah, it all sounds pretty stupid when you actually stop to think about it.

@CorporateShill

you gotta love the right wing knotheads, they hate the government, but if you protest the government they hate YOU...

Yeah all of the "right wing knotheads" absolutely HATE the Tea Party. Oh...wait.

Aside from that you really believe a college trustee board is representative of "the government"? And you are calling other people knotheads? I sometime wonder if people actually fall out of their chairs reaching soooo far for an excuse to bash the the "other side".

FedUp said:

My protest is much simpler..... My student loans will not be paid back! Colleges and Universities rely on ripping off students and the banks do too..... Education is like buying a used car for the price of a Ferrari.... All the while the College and University Presidents prey on the student population by receiving excessive salaries....

Studen loans are not forgiven. They will get it from you one way or another - as they should! You will pay, alive or dead. Nobody forced you to accept a student loan - and I doubt you had one. But . . . you're attitude is what is wrong with our country. Whiners, complainers, users and takers who think they should get a free ride while someone else pays. You are part of the pathetic and useless to our country.

Hopeful American and BackCountry: The problem that's wrong with this country is people like yourselves who accept the costs of education without question.... You two most likely received an education many years ago and figure if it worked for you both... nothing is broken.

From #1.1 - If we are lagging behind in education and technology and leading in murder and rape, it is a testament to the priority of those people who commit the rapes and murders in lieu of getting an education. The people chose to rape and murder - it wasn't government sanctioned priorities.

There is a government requirement to become educated to a certain standard. And the government supports those efforts through tax dollars. However, it is not the governments' reponsibility to pay for all of the education systems. People are taking out their rage on the government because a school system felt it necessary to raise their fees to meet financial obligations. How is it the responsibility of the government that an educational institution increased its rates?

@Hopeful American: Student loans are forever.... You're correct. My protest is like famine.... I agree. I have nothing to give monetarily or much else to my name. Keep believing there's nothing wrong..... Newt Gingrich the robber of Fannie and Freddie will save you!

@Fed Up: Again, no one forces anyone to take a student loan. No one forces you to go to college. If you choose to, it's your choice and responsibility. Eventually, when no one can afford the tuition, the schools will have two choices - shut down or lower their fees.

And Newt Gingrich won't save us - but I'm hoping Romney will! This country, with our socialist in chief, is heading us down the same path as western Europe and Greece. Everyone on the dole is not sustainable! When we have a half of all Americans not paying one cent in federal income taxes - something is very wrong! We will go down the same bankrupt abyss if we keep following Obama's agenda. The givers will stop giving and the takers will have nowhere to take from!

@Fed Up-3261941

Hopeful American and BackCountry: The problem that's wrong with this country is people like yourselves who accept the costs of education without question....

And exactly who said I did that? The cost of a college education is friggin ridiculous but blaming it on bankers is FAR more ridiculous. The problem was created by our government back in 1965 why not put the blame where it belongs?

Well, in order to get pepper-sprayed, you have to first try to illegally FORCE your way into a private board meeting.

And then, hey, bring a small child as a human shield. That's a nice touch.

"No cuts, no fees, education should be free,"

Really? Oh, you mean free for YOU, the taxpayers aren't getting anything for free.

Are there still adults out there who think the government can make things "free" just by saying so?

Typical Rush Limbaugh ditto head thinking , it's always the protesters fault , NEVER the thugs the gov't sends in to protecy the money men . Americans pay the LOWEST taxes of any developed nation , and you STILL whine about them . If this had been a Tea Bagger pro test and this had happened you would've gone ballistic ! Why don't you just change the name of your party to what it REALLY is ? The National Socialist Party !! The point is not what they were protesting , but the infringement of their right to do so , and maybe the kid wouldn't have been there if the campus provided day-care .

during a public comment period

Uh, RobertPlattBell - the public comment period is open to the "public" - that's why it's called "public."

Did you read the article??? It was a PUBLIC meeting, required by law to be OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. A governmental entity such as this Board cannot have PRIVATE meetings except for very specific circumstances. Fees are not among those private issues. Learn what you're talking about before you spout your stu pidity!!

@RobertPlattBell

Didn't read the article, did you? The meeting was open to all...supposedly...They had an overflow room and even that room overflowed. Perhaps if there is an issue that so many are against you need to rethink the issue.

You're damn right it's the protesters faults. If I was there, I would have been pepper sprayed too. But I was home and no police were breaking into my house to pepper spray me.

I don't care how much in taxes other nations pay - we still pay too much.

And they should have provided day care? How about the mother provides the day care by paying for it.

I wonder if extending the DREAM Act to include people who are in Kalifornia legally would provide any relief to citizens seeking higher education.

So Robert it was a private meeting?...where did you see that in the story.....

"They were trying to silence our voices by not allowing students access to this supposedly open forum," Omon told the station.

Reading is fundamental, guess you never made it to college.

Chanting and storming their way into a meeting was not a way of "being heard" - it was a well-worn leftist tactic of disrupting a meeting to prevent others from being heard. "Chanting" in particular is a way of silencing those who disagree with you. America is getting more and more European - to its detriment.

Nothing new here..... Just different people and circumstances being targeted by authorities. Things like this have been happening since the 50's. Whats the big deal?? Because the targeted were parents and students?? Because it was on a college campus?? Oh wait, that's who it was in the 50's - 60's

Eugene "Bull" Connor would be proud!!

I'm Just Sayin'......

Mark I would love to take apart everything in your argument, but I just don't have the time. I'll simply say what needs to be said - YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!! Get off the Democratic talking points memo. The Nazi's are people like you - SOCIALISTS.

Read a history book sometime. You might learn something.

Yeah it's funny how people come here to argue against education. So what if they want cheaper classes? Why would fight against that?

What fool would bring a child to something like that? While I'm not one of the "it's someone elses fault" brigade, in this instance it IS the parents fault.

You want a "free" education? Spend 4yrs in the military, and they will cover your education. Sorry, I have absolutely NO sympathy for these people at all.

The Nazi's are people like you - SOCIALISTS.

/palmface

You've shown you know nothing with this comment...

I am all about doing something to close the class gap in the U.S. _BUT_

(1) Education should not be free after a certain point. A HS education is plenty sufficient to make a life for yourself. If you want a free education, study hard and get a scholarship.

(2) Who brings their kid to a protest where there are police and the chance that there will be crowd control?

(3) There is going to be a crash in higher education in the near future. There seem to be a lot of schools where the return on the investment isn't enough to justify the cost anymore. Those schools are going to lose students fast.

All of you "Well I worked through college after walking up-hill both ways" people are missing the point. College costs are getting to the point that students with merit and who work (the percentage of students working part or full time jobs have risen not fallen in the last 20 years) cannot afford both college and the cost of living. Community College costs have risen abruptly (nearly 25% over the course of 3 years) placing pressure on already struggling kids and families.

So when you whine about paying the extra $7.50 in taxes to keep tuition down don't also complain when the crime rates rise. Or pout when our young people watch China surpass them as they serve you a quarter pounder at McDonalds.

High School isn't free. Public schools are funded by taxes and private schools are the same as college.

Also, studying hard to get a scholarship isn't the same for everyone. Some people have an easier path, some don't. Why shouldn't the kids that have to take a harder road to higher education not get a hand?

All of you "Well I worked through college after walking up-hill both ways" people are missing the point. College costs are getting to the point that students with merit and who work (the percentage of students working part or full time jobs have risen not fallen in the last 20 years) cannot afford both college and the cost of living. Community College costs have risen abruptly (nearly 25% over the course of 3 years) placing pressure on already struggling kids and families.

So when you whine about paying the extra $7.50 in taxes to keep tuition down don't also complain when the crime rates rise. Or pout when our young people watch China surpass them as they serve you a quarter pounder at McDonalds.

Great post. Clearly illustrates nearly everything that needs to be said in this matter.

:golfclap:

"No cuts no fees education should be free" can someone please define that statement for me, there is no such thing as free, who will do all this volunteer work? will the professors work for free? when you get your diploma will you work for free? I'mgoing to bake a cake but its not for eating its just for looking at because you cant have your cake and eat it to. besides the government doesn't want you to eat cake! MO says its bad for you.

Boo Hoo Hoo. I want to go to a school I can't afford. I'm too stupid to either work my way through, put off college temporarily while I save, or go find a school I can afford. I wish I could've helped pepper spray these entitlement fools. I never went to college. I run my own business and make six figures a year. Shut these hippies up. You want free schooling? Move to one of the countries with a 50% and higher tax rate and you can have it, but of course once you get out of school all your income will be taken from you to pay for the next gen's free education. Thereby making it pointless.

It really doesn't matter what the crowd chants it's their right to chant anything they want. If they break the law arrest them. One at a time if that's all the man power you have. But if they aren't being violent and you're not in danger you don't pepper spray them. Tear gas and pepper spray is what cops use to turn a peaceful demonstration into a riot they've been doing it since the 60's. They throw the tear gas then the peaceful protesters start screaming and 10% fight back and then the cops come in with riot gear and clubs maybe even fire hoses. The cops are trained to put down unwanted protests and to make it look like it was the protesters fault.

MikeBC

Chanting and storming their way into a meeting was not a way of "being heard" - it was a well-worn leftist tactic of disrupting a meeting to prevent others from being heard. "Chanting" in particular is a way of silencing those who disagree with you. America is getting more and more European - to its detriment.

So Mike, you're telling me that the Tea Party is really a "leftist" organization? Chanting and talking over the speaker was the tactic used by Tea Party activists at several town-hall meetings all over the US during the 2010 congressional elections. Funny how it only happened at meetings held by Democrat candidates. And at every one, the candidate just finally cancelled the meeting and left, depriving those who wanted to hear the speaker or engage in rational discourse the opportunity to do so. In several cases the speakers were followed out to their car by the "chanters". At no point did they feel the need to call out the cops to control the crowd, unlike their Republican counterparts at this meeting.

Oh, and then there were all the chanters in Florida during the 2000 presidential recount who spent hours outside the offices where the recount was occuring yelling and being disruptive. They even physically impeded the election officials from entering the offices on several occaisons. I don't remember the cops being called out to pepperspray that group. Let's see, who was it they were supporting again? Oh yea, the republican candidate.

you gotta love the right wing knotheads, they hate the government, but if you protest the government they hate YOU...

@mark-1600259

...but the infringement of their right to do so ,

What right? Please do explain Mark just exatly what it is that gives people the RIGHT to protest on private property? Maybe some of you should spend a little time learning exactly what your rights actually are instead of just making up a bunch of nonsense and gibberish.

Santa Monica College is a public college, it is NOT private property.

@raddave

Santa Monica College is a public college, it is NOT private property.

You don't think a public college is considered to be on private property? Really? Maybe you should take a minute to verify your opinion is correct BEFORE you post it for everyone to see.

Wonder how many that protested their education are driving a car that costs one years worth of it? Wonder how many would pay DOUBLE for their i-phone contract?

"Mittens" 2012

All of you "Well I worked through college after walking up-hill both ways" people are missing the point. College costs are getting to the point that students with merit and who work (the percentage of students working part or full time jobs have risen not fallen in the last 20 years) cannot afford both college and the cost of living. Community College costs have risen abruptly (nearly 25% over the course of 3 years) placing pressure on already struggling kids and families.

So when you whine about paying the extra $7.50 in taxes to keep tuition down don't also complain when the crime rates rise. Or pout when our young people watch China surpass them as they serve you a quarter pounder at McDonalds.

I'm glad to see there is at least one intelligent person here.

Part of me wants to say, "f*** it" and let the idiot conservatives have their way. Then I can laugh at them in 20 years when America resembles a third world country. The majority will be poor and sick, without healthcare or education. Crime rates, epidemics, and mortality rates will be higher. Most businesses will have relocated overseas because the lack of education has reduced the number of skilled people in America... forcing companies to go to other countries for skilled labor. And the 1% will have walled themselves off in giant complexes, similar to the drug lord mansions in Mexico, separating themselves from the destitute.

Being from a wealthy family myself, I can easily relocate to a better country. So part of me likes the idea of being able to say "I told you so" to every idiot Republican who would destroy this country.

Repubs support the skyrocketing college costs, so only the wealthy can become educated? Ok... when the vast majority of our population is uneducated, and other countries pass us in skilled labor... see what happens.

Repubs support denying medical care to those who can not afford it? Ok... when the vast majority can not afford health care, and they continue to spread disease and illness to everyone else... see what happens.

Repubs support giving tax breaks to the wealthy, while forcing the middle class and poor to pay for everything? Ok... when you bleed the middle and lower classes dry, putting the vast majority of our country below the poverty line... see what happens.

@IndieParty

Repubs support the ...blah, blah, blah... repubs this, repubs that, blah, blah, blah...what happens.

Is there anything your puppet masters say that you won't believe? If all of the partisan hacks on both sides of the fence worried about what their own party was doing we wouldn't be in the mess we're in today. Instead their puppet masters point their fingers at the "other guys" and the lemmings just tighten up the blinders and ignore all the BS coming from "their guys". You are never going to vote for a republican so why not focus on a positive change in those who you will vote for. If both parties focused on cleaning up their own houses we'll all be a lot better off.

I've thought this recently as well. And I'll tell you what happens: Civil War 2. Angry masses can only have so much taken away before they have nothing left to lose, and that's when they start fighting back in the only way they have left.

So when you whine about paying the extra $7.50 in taxes to keep the tuition down don't also complain when the crime rates rise.

So if people can't afford an education they have to resort to crime? By your assertion, higher tuition reduces crime rates. If there was any correlation to that assertion, I'm all for subsidizing tuition fees. I'm going to search to see which universities have the highest tuition fees and move there - they have the lowest crime rates.

Jeffor said:

High School isn't free. Public schools are funded by taxes and private schools are the same as college.

Also, studying hard to get a scholarship isn't the same for everyone. Some people have an easier path, some don't. Why shouldn't the kids that have to take a harder road to higher education not get a hand?

Get a hand? You mean a handout. First of all, they aren't kids - they are legal adults. They can get a job. They can get loans. They can apply for scholarships. They can have family or loved ones help. If none of this is possible - sorry - life doesn't just hand you stuff for free. Hell, this isn't Ivy League, it's a community college. If they can't figure out how to pay the tuition at a community college - proves they aren't willing to work very hard at anything.

Adam in Colordo said:

I've thought this recently as well. And I'll tell you what happens: Civil War 2. Angry masses can only have so much taken away before they have nothing left to lose, and that's when they start fighting back in the only way they have left.

Spoken like a true progressive-liberal. You've just got it backwards. The angy masses are those of us that are the givers while you're ilk are the takers. Pretty hard to have something taken away when you never had it or earned it. Living off the dole CAN be taken away - because it is NOT AND NEVER WAS YOURS!!

@Adam in Colorado,

I've thought this recently as well. And I'll tell you what happens: Civil War 2. Angry masses can only have so much taken away before they have nothing left to lose, and that's when they start fighting back in the only way they have left.

But wait.......... This is 2012!!

Sounds alot like the Civil Rights movement in the mid 50's to 60's!!! YOU GO Adam in Colorado!!!

Or you could find a job, take online courses, attend community college (which I did and which is not that expensive, even here in SoCal), or attain a merit based scholarship like I did. There are ways to pay for college klone, it's not some impossible obstacle that only the rich can conquer.

I have no problem with "furriners" coming to America getting an education, finding a job, starting a family and becoming permanent American citizens. I'm not some redneck hick from the desert. I WANT people to come to America, be successful and stay here. We need that in order for our country to continue to rise. Also, I want foreign companies to get better in order to force OUR companies to step their game up and make better products. I want heady competition with foreign companies as well. In the end the best company will win and if that company happens to be foreign so be it. They won. We played a good game. We'll get them next time. So on and so forth.

But, getting back to education which is not that hard to understand.

I am college educated, so are my brothers, sisters, and cousins. Our parents saved from the day of our births in order to pay for the inevitable college education. We were frugal, we weren't lavish and we worked our butts off (both our parents and us students). When times got tough we tightened our belts. After high school we (myself, siblings and cousins) picked up part time jobs, received financial aid and merit-based scholarships, worked our butts off some more, and got through college in four years. Found jobs afterwards and still have them. We're making it. I'm sorry if I don't share your sympathy for those who can't do it. But, all I have to say to them is, "Tough sh*t. I did it. Why can't you?"

I've seen people who frankly don't deserve a college education or handouts. They're lazy, uncaring, and just want to take and take. These people were as rampant in my day as they are today. I have no sympathy for them. Maybe I'm just simple. Maybe it's wrong of me to think that if you buckle down, set a goal, work hard, save, save, save and save some more and always be optimistic you shall succeed. Perhaps that's just some fanciful, idealistic dream that cannot work for everybody. Perhaps. But hey it worked for and me and so it can work for you.

It's been nice talking with you klone.

Having just sent a kid to college, I have found out that there actually ARE lots of scholarships, grants, and low cost loans out there. Most of the kids at my daughter's school are going at a reduced tuition rate. The ones who don't, are from high income families that can afford it. If the kid needs extra money, there's also a novel concept out there called GETTING A JOB! Believe it or not they are actually out there and the university will help you find it. All the schools we visited had the same mantra: "We'll find a way to help you pay for your education; no one gets turned away because they can't afford it." So stop griping and protesting, if you're too dumb or clueless to find a way to pay for college, you probably should't be there in the first place.

hey all you morons harping about education being free. How are you going to pay the teachers, support the

Infrastructure of the schools, power to buildings etc.? Raise taxes?

Education is ONLY FREE to the illegals............the citizen's have to pay.

um.. did they say it was 47 bucks to take a class? ...WOW.. I really need to move.. I don't agree with pepperspray but its better than say, bullets? As for the child and or family in the crowd, next time know where you are, Like Jeff used to say, Heres your sign.

"The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances."

It appears many people have been brainwashed into not knowing/caring about the US Constitution.

AR Grover

um.. did they say it was 47 bucks to take a class? ...WOW.. I really need to move.. I don't agree with pepperspray but its better than say, bullets? As for the child and or family in the crowd, next time know where you are, Like Jeff used to say, Heres your sign.

Right - the child deserved to be pepper sprayed by a jack booted thug right? DOlt.

I think they should take all the police, fire fighters, EMT's, military business's and anyone who does'nt want to be in that messed up state anymore and come to AZ or other states. Give everyone who stays a medical marijuana card and let them have CA. Im from cali and I remember when it was great. Leave the Union caLI. I sure wont miss u.

Glenn, the government will pay for it of course. All we need to do is tax them nasty rich people some more - piece of cake! I realize I'm from the east coast and not the land of entitlement out there in California, but what's wrong with a 3 credit course costing $540 dollars? I paid $315 for a 3 credit course in 1977 and had to pay more than $2000 for a 3 credit elective graduate course that I had to take out-of-state because that's where they offered the course I needed (2004, not 1977). I'm with elport to a great extent. When going to college I lived at home (cheaper, paid no rent and ate Mom and Dad's food), worked every weekend during the school year and full time during the summer. Paid for my own tuition, fees etc. through that job and mostly student loans (a couple small grants). We as a nation seem to be quickly losing our "hustle". If you want it, go get it.

As for the pepper spraying, I think the appropriateness of the action needs to be investigated. We absolutely have the right to protest, we do not have the right to become a mob. We CAN become a mob if we want to, but should not expect that there won't be consequences to that decision. I don't know from this brief article (and neither do the rest of you BTW) whether this was a protest or a mob. The actions of both the protesters and the police need to be investigated. If the police overreacted then they should be appropriately disciplined. If the protesters were getting out of control and pepper spray was the best way to restore order, then the protesters should accept the consequences of their actions and move on.

Public university in CT, $1300 for one 3 credit course. Professional degree same school; $18000 per year- private university same program; $38000 year.

AQ, maybe you need to re-read that section you pasted. STORMING a meeting does not qualify for "Peaceful" assembly.

I'm all for peaceful protesting against things. I support it. But like the OWS, without any real leadership, the crowd follows their true character. Anger and violence. All that will assure them of is a night in jail.

Im from cali and I remember when it was great. Leave the Union caLI. I sure wont miss u.

you might not miss the state, but the rest of the states (especially the red ones) sure will miss all the extra revenue CA gives them as the state only receives $0.78 per dollar given to the federal government and pays the largest share of taxes in the nation by a good margin.

Cali could probably close it's budget hole if it left the union, just sayin'...

http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/22685.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_tax_revenue_by_state

But like the OWS, without any real leadership, the crowd follows their true character. Anger and violence. All that will assure them of is a night in jail.

to be fair, the only violence perpetrated on the evening in question here was by the police doing the pepper spraying. Again, just sayin'...

Actually, I did the math. Assuming $0.78 received per dollar spent (in '05) and $314B paid in taxes (in '07), Cali loses roughly $70B per year to the Federal government.

Their deficit in 2010 was $25.4B, so Cali would run roughly a $40-50B SURPLUS if it left the union.

Again, just saying...

Santa Monica College is a local Community/Junior College, not a State College or University. $540 for a Community College course seems unreasonably high to me.

You ar making a lot of assumptions to say the least.

STORMING a meeting does not qualify for "Peaceful" assembly.

Of course we should assume everything the media says is true.<S>

Free, free, free, free... tired of it! I didn't read every single comment, but no mention of the real problem, overpopulation. If your looking to blame someone for all the worlds problems, blame religion. One F-ing word from the Pope and the world would be a better place. As far as the Muslims, I don't foresee a outcome for them, but I can tell you the Ganji's river will dry up by 2035 displacing some 300 million. That's a fact, so maybe we should take it from the Chinese and start a globally forced 1 child policy before we screw ourselves to death. This kind of stuff is small potatoes compared to the global crisis facing all us ostriches. I know what your thinking, the invisible man will save you, well your wrong, get a clue and deal with reality, it's not time to be worshiping God's unless you believe the crash position is a new way of praying.

I doubt Klone graduated High .. probably got caught cheating on finals and was expelled which triggers the hate. Folks like Klone should live in a commune .. of course at taxpayer expense, right Klone?

klone:

I agree with the messages you are trying to get through. And I'm truly happy that - it appears, by your words - you have a college education. In most cases that statement assumes that you have also developed a certain patience and understanding and a certain willingness to listen, without judgement or arrogance, to all sides of an issue.

So having read most of your posts/responses I see that a college educatiion was wasted on you. You have not gained any attributes that a truly educated and intelligent person would aspire to and you have no control over you obvious anger that appear quickly in your posts. You might try going back to school and taking as many courses as possible in how to become a socialized (and not in the political sense) human being....good luck.

America is becoming more and more socialistic every day; Socialism did not work in Russia, will not work for European Union and it will NOT work for America! People have to work for what they want and need!!!

When the university teachers and administrators start working at their own expense, and when the book publishers start printing and shipping textbooks at their own expense, and when campus dorms and food service operate at their own expense, etc. etc., then we can provide you lazy-assed crybaby students free education. Until then EDUCATION IS NOT FREE. The money is coming from someone's pocket. Even grants and scholarships are costing someone else money. If you can't understand that maybe you should go back and take Economics 101.

So, stop whining about having to pay your way. Stop b*tching someone isn't handing their hard earned money to you to make your life easier. Those of us that came before you had the same obstacles and costs to overcome. We did it. If you can't figure out how to pay for your education, you probably aren't intelligent enough to attend a college or university anyway.

Okay me taking some pepper spray in the face that's one thing, hell I was in Seattle in 99... however had that been my 4yo, or any age for that matter, daughter that took some pepper spray in the the face, I would become a biological organism protecting my offspring, and there would be a dead pig on the ground, period, end of story, and I'll let the court of public opinion decide whether or not to hang me out to dry. Note: not all police officers are pigs, just the ones whom do dumb As* Sh*t like this. Now a little gas to the flame: This is CA people, a welfare state since the early 70's, and education was one of the things the state used to attract people to move there, If you're a CA resident, you are technically a ward of the state, which in turn gives you access to their higher education system, so folks out there have been getting a handout as far as education is concerned, for well over 30 years now. example: so you've been giving your child a 100 dollar bill per week for their allowance for the past 6 months, all the sudden you realize what a little sh*t you child has turned into, so you say Fine, I'll cut your allowance to 20 bucks a week till you start acting right. Well if you're a parent you all ready know what's coming next, that child is going to raise hell to high water to get back the 100 bucks they've become so accustomed to. Well people Ca has been running billions of dollars in debt, and that was "BILLIONS" with a "B", for at least the last 5 to 7 years that I've been paying attention to it. By the way, born & raised in Las Vegas, NV, so where do you think all the Bull Sh*t from CA ends up, yup my back yard, er desert. And being from Vegas, you should already know that I had to pay out of state tuition to get an education Wait more gas... You know , all of you in Ca should keep it up, protest more, fight the system, hell revolt and overthrow your state government, etc, etc, It needs it. Really, I Mean it. I've got CCW permit for my loaded handgun, which is on my person any time I travel, Do you know how pissed off the cops down there get, when they freak out, cause I'm Armed, then they can't do a damn thing to me, cause I'm "registered", and from Nevada. So really, get rid of the whole thing. Is it hot enough yet. There's my 5 cents, have a good day people...

What's been happening in Europe in the past years has finally reached our doorsteps.
REVOLUTION 2012, It's time to take back your country and put an end to Big Government once and for all. Education should be free for all Americans imo.

People with money shouldn't be the only ones entitled to an education.

Idiots, what in the world is the parent doing there with a 4 year old in the first place. The parent should have got more than pepper sprayed.

Ariues, Education is not and entitlement (liberal thinking) it's a privilege.

I'm at a loss regarding Klone's comment being collapsed. It was a thoughtful process and comment. OK, he was mildly sarcastic in his first line "We're all very proud of you" but I've seen ten times worse here.

Independent of everything else. I'd like to shake the hand of the cop who pepper sprayed the four year old. You're a real man (or woman). Congrats. After I shake your hand I'd like to hit you in the face with a cast iron skillet because that's what people who hit children deserve.

Ariues, Education is not and entitlement (liberal thinking) it's a privilege.

Really? Then why is government handing out the taxpayers dollars to the rich all the time. Is that also an entitlement or a privilege?

I think and believe that all education should be free to those that want it. If you cannot afford an education, then it should be free. I personally don't want an America filled with idiots and bums. Educate the people and give them jobs so they can live decent and respectable lives like anyone else.

The rich have already robbed the people, it time for them to give back what they have taken (stolen) from the taxpayers.

REVOLUTION 2012

Klone - have you looked into the GI bill? Some money for college is provided to the people who serve their country. Also you can take college courses while you are serving in the military. Freedom is not free and the GI bill is a fair trade to the people serve US.

http://www.todaysgibill.org/

SovereignD - why would anyone who takes a 4 year old to a protest stay, if from all reports above it was turning nasty?

I submit that this picture will be used by the media and others to fan the flames way beyond what the real story is.

to NC VET.

Awesome! Klone's a $h!tbird.

Childish! Gimmy gimmy gimmy, mine mine mine, go get your own. half those people don't stand a chance even with a education, somebodies got to do the work, seek your level and prosper at it buying a diploma only works for some. maybe some should seek a trade at $65.00 a hour first and save up for that higher education, a electrical apprentice can make between $18.00 to $30.00 a hr save up the money and pay for your courses that's the way its supposed to work. some people think work is a dirty word.

If you're going to protest, leave your kids at home with a RESPONSIBLE ADULT. You clearly are not capable of making good decisions for your child. This is the parents fault for willingly taking their kids in to what can and will turn in to a hostile environment.

I feel bad for those kids, but there is no reason to make a martyr of them or turn this in to a police brutality case.

I marched for Trayvon and guess what, I left my son at home with his grandmother because I did not want anything to happen to him in case things turned ugly. Thankfully it was a peaceful protest, but it could have turned in to something else entirely.

@American....the article states they (mother and child) were not a part of the protest, just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

My question is, regardless of that, what police officer fires pepper spray into the face of a baby?

1) Why was this parent at this protest with a 4 year-old in the first place? She may not have thought the "protest" was going to get unruly....but a protest (peaceful or not) is no place for a young child. Especially on a college campus. Most may show up for a peaceful protest...but it only takes a few who show up drunk or high or whatever to stir the pot a little and escalate situation. (and, yes, it's college....there are people who show up drunk or high or whatever)

2) You already get a FREE education. It's through grade 12. If YOU want to CONTINUE your education, then YOU have to pay for it. There's a reason it is called "higher education"...because it's not the "basic" provided by the government.

As for the comments that high costs are keeping our "best and brightest" out....chances are, if they are the "best and brightest", they've found a way to get a scholarship, earn extra money, get a grant, or any of the other hundreds of ways out there to pay for college as a low-income person.

arieus...

Really? Then why is government handing out the taxpayers dollars to the rich all the time. Is that also an entitlement or a privilege?

Excuse me! How do you figure this? Only the rich qualify for the earned income tax credit? Perhaps you think that the government is really entitled to everything anyone earns and only by its altruistic nature allows anyone to keep a portion of the income they earned.

I have no problem with free K-12 education. However after graduation that individual needs to take it upon themselves what advanced education they want to pursue and to pay for it out of pocket and/or by grants and scholarships. After all they are now considered to be considered responsible adults, right?

Bottom line is that NOTHING IS FREE!!!

Someone pays for it. That means...............taxpayers in this case.

Just about anyone can afford a college education if they bother researching and working with the wide variety of programs and assistance offered to them. I went the GI-Bill route. It was worth it. Education is still quite affordable.

You can then graduate and get a job, then once properly saddled with debt - you enter officially into the life of an average American.

On the other note, our University system could use a revamp in order to deal with the modern world. Educating the populace is definitely one of the best possible investments that a country can make - and I see no problem with offering certain 'free' avenues of education paid for by myself as the taxpayer. It would have to start earlier though, in highschool. Vocational tracks toward certifications in highly needed fields. Continuance of education based upon one's merit and capability to succeed.

I suggest such changes to education because I sincerely believe our current system is outdated, and that college degrees just aren't worth as much as they used to be worth, despite the increasing expense. A high-school diploma isn't worth much at all anymore... when it comes to getting into a job you can make a career from. The system needs to adapt and become much more dynamic.

Pam - the article says the parent and child were part of the group...not "innocent bystanders".

The article also says the mother and child were not among those treated (only 5 sought treatment according to the article). Chances are, those that were treated were those in the front row, but the pepper spray has a larger "coverage area" where a less potent cloud can cause effects. If the mother and child were in the middle of the pack somewhere, they may have caught some residual, which might have caused some discomfort....which would have been stronger for a young child than an adult....and also would have escalated the child's response (think of the response difference between an adult who stubs their toe and a child....the child will make a much bigger "scene" because they don't understand the pain and are scared).

There is NOTHING in the article that states the CHILD was one of those sprayed in the face.

I would be pretty upset if I started my education at a college and after putting time, money, and effort into it, I was told that the price of my classes would almost quadruple in price. Most people going to this college obviously don't have trust funds or money to burn. They are attending an inexpensive college for that reason. Many of you are saying "my college costs more, deal with it." But these people started going here expecting one price and during the course of their education the tuition is drastically increasing. $46 to $180 per unit (@grover, maybe you should go back to college, a unit is not the cost of the class, a class usually is about 3 units, depending on the credits. It explains it in the article.)

Its very difficult to have course credits transfer to a different college and you usually have to take a number of classes over again and lose credits, spending more time and money. So these students are stuck biting the bullet and paying almost 4 times as much. Yeah, grants, scholarships, loans, are available but many people are already scraping by just to get through school. Its not like they want to take out more loans and the grants and scholarships only pay for a portion (which may be maxed at what their receiving now.) I don't think it should be free but that rate of increase is ridiculous. The currently enrolled students should at least be grandfathered in to receive the same rates till graduation.

I think any of you paying a regular bill on something (i.e. cell phones, cable, internet, etc.) would be pretty upset if you opened up your bill next month and the bill was almost 4x what it was the previous month. I'm sure you'd consider taking your business elsewhere and would be raising he!! on the customer service line. Unfortunately for these students, this college knows they have them over the barrel and if they want to finish their education they have to pay it.

Pam, actually the article says that...

...She said a family, including a 4 year old, were in the crowd when the officer used the pepper spray.

Hardly implies "wrong place, wrong time", the article further states that the family was not among those treated for being pepper sprayed.

Even within the worst case scenario of being in the wrong place at the wrong time what was the crowd doing to the security personel that compelled the use of pepper spray? BTW - any type of spray does not have the ability to hit a specific target without overspray.

------------------------------------

golfarch - interesting post, obviously we both read the article so my reply to pam was superfluous as we hit all the same bases. I still suspect this photo will be used to justify some inane argument from some.

Amazing......

• Schools in SoCal imposing more fees for classes.
• SoCal Protesters saying that education should be FREE.

Nothing new here.

Maybe the students should go to a San Francisco college/university, claim they are "undocumented", and then receive FREE education. No hassle here.

Yes, asking for "free" education is kinda dumb, someone pays for it and the student should be required to put forth some effort to obtain an education. It will never be "free", the cost just shifts elsewhere. That being said, tuition spikes in the last decade or so are completely unsustainable. The tuition at the college where I obtained my BS from has gone up by a factor of 2.5 since I graduated a decade ago, yet your average middle class wage has remained stagnant (if not reduced). How does one expect people to continue to pay for this nonsense?

And so, that being said, I love the circular reasoning of those espousing these people to shut up and take these ever-increasing tuition hikes. The argument goes something like this:

Student: "I can't afford to pay these ridiculous tuition rates, I really need an advanced degree to move up in the world."

Hater: "Shut up and pay ever doubling tuition rate."

Student: "I would, but I can't. The cost of living has gone up, I can barely afford to pay my bills let alone a tuition rate that will be twice what it is now during my senior year. My current menial job now simply doesn't pay me enough."

Hater: "Oh well, you shoulda gone to college and gotten a worthwhile degree and then you'd be making plenty of money to pay your tuition!"

Student: "I'd love to go to college and get an advanced degree, but again, my job doesn't pay me enough to afford it."

Hater: "As I already said, you shoulda gone to college and gotten an advanced degree and then your job WOULD pay you enough to afford it."

Student: "..."

The same people lambasting those that protest tuition hikes are the very same folks that bash people and tell them to "go to college if you want a better job" when others complain about stagnating wages and the middle class getting squeezed. Somethings gotta give in all this, else we'll raise a generation of dumb, illeducated people barely qualified to run a drive-thru let alone the businesses of the future.

My sister planned my niece's education. There was a small hospital in a small town which was providing training in taking care of the elderly in the retirement home. It was free training and pay. One year of work and then my niece got a job as a nurse's aid at a another hospital. The hospital then paid her tuition while she went to college provided she would work at the hospital for two years once she got her rn degree.

@ Janine

""They were trying to silence our voices by not allowing students access to this supposedly open forum," Omon told the station."

Now the question becomes, why did the policy deny these people access to the open forum?

To those who are saying "oh you're a bunch of cry babies for wanting free education."

The protesters are simply making a point that the education costs are rising at absolutely appalling levels. Most of these cost increases are due to state and federal governments cutting how many subsidies are provided to higher education. We live in a different world than when the previous generation went to college. It is fundamentally necessary if one wants to have a good shot at success in today's job market. It also didn't cost $20,000 a year (tuition, room, and board) to get the higher education. Before you judge college students and think we are a bunch of freeloaders, examine the changes that have occurred to society. Examine what we are going to college to do (better society and get a job).

you gotta love the right wing knotheads, they hate the government, but if you protest the government, they hate YOU...

and allow only the rich to get an education.

That is a completely false and asinine statement. Every brother or sister in my extremely lower-middle class family who wanted a college education worked for one and earned one. It's still possible today. And not one single one of my seven brothers or sisters regret having a degree or what they had to do to earn one.

I have friends who are in their 50's whom, when they couldn't find work, 'bit the bullet' and went back to school for either a first or second degree - and this was done within the past 5-6 years.

"Only the rich to get an education"?? I'm guessing that next it'll be "only the rich can afford Bentley's or Roll's.. I want a free one of those too.

News flash - Things Cost Money. Educations (Yes, educations that the instructors at those colleges worked hard to earn and now need to be paid for) cost money. Perhaps they should all just donate their time so that the protestors (who are not protesting the meteoric rise of gas prices by the way) can have more free stuff.

Stupid.. just stupid.

@AQ-3307763

"The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances."

It appears many people have been brainwashed into not knowing/caring about the US Constitution.

Speaking from experience I see. Clearly you have been brainwashed into believing the First Amendment allows people to protest on privte property. It does NOT!

Non-violent protest has apparently become illegal in this country and can be quashed by means of violent assault, such as pepper spraying kids and pointing guns at them. This is totally ridiculous and unconstitutional & it's meant to chill dissent in this country--a democracy, founded by revolutionary means and protest. And that a school would sanction violence against its students is reprehensible.

Most of the people on this board supporting the rapidly increasing cost of college don't even know how those dollars are doled out, how they are wasted on a batallion of clone administrators with pennies going to teachers and staff. If it were the teachers getting that extra money for teaching a summer class, I'd consider the request reasonable. But teachers aren't even the recipients of that money, they are the lure to secure more money to pay another vice president of something or other.

Health, education, and welfare for the citizens of a super power and lead country in the world really shouldn't be such a high bar to attain. Of course, if the country didn't have to subsidize the 1% and oil companies and police the world, perhaps PEOPLE would have a few dollars in their pockets to pay for basic needs.

@ american, not saying that the parents are all that bright. I'm just passionate about the lines that you do not cross when it comes to children. If you're a criminal, and you do something to child, we all know whats a gonna' happen to your As*, pun intended, when you get to the lock up. So plain and simple if there is an honor among thieves when it comes to a child, the rest of the world, I don't care who you are, cop, con, judge, etc, is to be held to that same standard. A child is a CHILD, and I'll take a bullet, as well as send one of my own, to protect a child, my own, or someone else's. Now was mom all that bright for staying around, prob. not. However if these jerk off cops saw children in the area, and proceeded with releasing a chemical aerosol, excuse me, but is that not a war crime under the Geneva Convention. The Nazis gassed children too, and we tried, convicted and executed, those SOBs. These cowards over in the middle east hide behind women and children, and fire upon our Marines at will. Clearly the rules of engagement are in effect, don't fire, unless fired upon, i.e., you return fire only. Should one of our Marines take a shot, in a combat situation where the rules of engagement are in effect, and hit one of those women or children, that Marine is looking at a dishonorable discharge, a full court marshal, and possibly some jail time. Why do these PIGS get to fire chemical weapons indiscriminately into a crowd, for no other reason than to force a disperse? Hey here's an Idea, Maybe the Marines need to post at these protests for guard duty. A US embassy is on sovereign American Soil, So too is the citizen exercising their rights of speech, on sovereign American Soil... HMMM? me just gave me a good idea...

Wow! Some people here are just full of @!$%#!

First of all college financing has been privatizied to profit investment banks.

If you look at a graph of increased spending on education by the federal government you will find a corresponding increase in tuition by colleges. One should not follow the other. That only increases profits while not increasing the worth of the product.

Freedom isn't free? What the hell does that have to do with anything? We have a military that sucks up and wastes 75% of our tax money. The military budget benefits less then 15% of the American public. That includes the defense workers.

As for pepper spraying young people. That's just an over the top response by untrained police.

Pepper spray has a effective radius of 75 feet. To me it looks like the pepper spray was deployed in a confined area.
That is a last resort situation to a professional. The police effectively not smartly, created a zone that emergency medical personnel cannot enter.

People reading this should realize that this is more of a lack of leadership by university administration. I would have serious sit down with these police.

I have been involved in confrontational situations with more then 100 angry workers. A lot of people want there fellow Americans punished by the police. That attitude is wrong in a lot of ways....

If these kids want a free education they better start educating themselves because nothing is 'free'. Someone who has an real job will have to pay for it. At least they are protesting in the right place, the college, instead of Wall Street.

Gallant effort but you should have know you were gonna get it for trying. Just because Obama said four years ago that everybody deserved to get an education didn't mean he meant it. Politicians lie all the time. it's their job. Empty promises. The federal government isn't going to sit by while the children of poor people get an education. They may changes thing's if they do.

I agree!

also...$180 per unit is rediculous! $500+ for one class? they might as well go to a university!

If you come across any academic (professor) whom professes that education should be free and advocates that their students protest, ask them this question, "So, you are ready to teach for free?"

Just face a few simple facts folks- Education comes at a cost. Someone's got to show up to "teach" you, someone's got to build a building for them to teach you in, someone's got to clean the place and turn on the lights, someone's got to schedule your class for you, someone's got to make the place safe, someone's got to write a book for you to use in your class, etc. Until you have a large group of people whom can live on nothing, you are going to pay something for your education.

If this is the tallent you get from SMC please feel free to stay locally.

BTW Jake, it's "...created a zone that emergency medical personnel COULDN'T enter", and, "A lot of people want THEIR fellow Americans punished...." Go SMC!

Just saw a video of this incident on the news.

From the ARTICLE, there was a secondary room set up for overflow, because the administration foresaw a large turnout. Every event I've been involved with that provides a secondary room, also provides TV footage of the main room with camera and microphone feed to the main room for questions and comments from the secondary room.

It appears that the secondary room was not good enough for these protesters, and they wanted to be in the main room...a room that was already filled to capacity (an actual number set by fire codes based on the size of a room and its ability to be cleared in a fire event).

From the VIDEO, they left the secondary room, went into a hallway outside the main room, and demanded entry. The police were standing at the door to the main room to prevent the room from surpassing capacity and becoming a safety hazard, were getting "overrun" by the protesters. When the protesters would not return to the secondary room, but continued to press the issue and try to overrun the police, the pepper spray was used to disperse the crowd.

The protesters are not innocent here. This wasn't an outdoor protest on the steps of the building...it was INSIDE. There WERE accomodations set up for the overflow of protesters (while some of the protesters WERE IN the room because they arrived early enough). The police needed to protect the main room from overflow, and maintain order in the hallway outside.

Now, why set up a secondary room instead of letting people stand in the hall? As an architect, I can tell you that hallways are not designed or intended for gathering, they are designed for the movement of people from gathering space to gathering space. Think of it this way, if the capacity of the room is 50, and you have 30 people standing outside trying to get into the already full room, if an incident should occur in that room, you would have 50 people trying to get out, while 30 people were trying to get in. This is an extremely dangerous situation...which is why the police needed to either get the group back to the secondary room, or get the group to dissipate from blocking the hallway.

Most of you are missing the focus of the article - thanks to MSNBC leaving out a lot of facts reported by Los Angles news stations. There were two police officers attending the meeting, as usual and required. As the protest grew, the two officers were pushed up against a door. Showing great restraint, they used pepper spray.

Regardless of your opinion about fees for education or the use of the spray, a group cannot threaten officers.

Really? If these people only knew what the rest of us had to do to get through school. It's part of the process of growing up and seperating those of us who are motivated from those who are not. God help us if this is our future.

You are absolutely right... if only people knew what we had to go through to get an education.

Do they think it was easy for me to go ask my dad for a check every semester? Do they think it was easy for me to wait the 15 seconds it took him to write it out and hand it to me, without question? Do they think it was easy to drive down to the school and give them the check? That entire process, including the drive, was 20 minutes, every semester, that I will not get back.

Damn entitlement snobs. They have no idea what I had to go through to get an education.

Or you could find a job, take online courses, attend community college (which I did and which is not that expensive, even here in SoCal)

YES... exactly. If these people want cheaper education, they should just go to a COMMUNITY COLLEGE. It's not that expensive.

For instance, they can attend the community college: Santa Monica College

Oh wait...

, or attain a merit based scholarship like I did.

Really? YOU got a "merit based" scholarship and yet you are not smart enough to know that Santa Monica College is a community college?

Wow, I guess the standards for "merit scholarships" have gone way down.

Arieus, and the rest of the liberals on this post.

How many of you have ever been hired by and worked for a poor person?

look, people are missing the most important aspect of this, it's not the protest, it's not the pepper spray, it's not the cost of college, it's that poor, poor child. FOR THE LOVE OF PEARL!!! THERE'S A FOOT GROWING OUT OF THE BACK OF IT'S HEAD!!! HAHAHAHA. "free laughs for me!!!"

Either make education FREE, or have minimum wage catch up with inflation. Even adjusted with inflation, education has gone up 54%, since 1997, while wages have gone down, adjusted. This is not right and not fair. A majority of those who said they worked their way through, are those who graduated a decade or more ago. It is much different now, and to sit and compare what you did, with the challenges of what students have to go through now, just goes to show how ignorant you are. It is absolutely no wonder this country is declining at the rate it is.

A majority of those who said they worked their way through, are those who graduated a decade or more ago.

You are absolutely right.

Every single person that brags about "working their way through college" would not be able to do it now.

The average cost of a 1-bedroom in Santa Monica is about $1,500 per month, if not more. Add to that the rising cost of tuition, books, and food... and how much does one have to make to "work through college"?

The problem is, conservatives think that nothing has changed in the last 30 years. They think that the costs are all relatively the same. They are not.

@IndieParty

The problem is, conservatives think that nothing has changed in the last 30 years. They think that the costs are all relatively the same. They are not.

Exactly, a liberal, LBJ, saw to that when he signed the Higher Education Act of 1965. Since then the cost of a college education has risen at three times the rate of inflation.

The liberals consistently F us over with their ludicrous attempts to "help" us and the conservatives are too worried about what we do with our own bodies to notice.

Sovereign, I can understand protecting one's child, but I also understand that if you are part of a crowd (as Ms omon say's the mom and child were) it is hard to believe that the use of pepper spray was applied in any capacity other than crowd control. Since the article was not detailed enough to say otherwise, I will err on the side that says pepper spray was justified and that the child was not a deliberate target.

Your arguments on ROE or the nazi mass gasings will always be related to and judged on the basis of intent within the context of national interest. As I understand it, pepper spray was developed as a non lethal means of control and by its very nature can disperse over a wide area. ie the sprayer may not even of seen the child. Not an excuse, but goes to intent.

Thanks for the discussion.

@StephAce

Either make education FREE, or have minimum wage catch up with inflation.

First off, NOTHING is free. You do understand that right? Someone has to pay for it, are you willing to pay more taxes so everyone else can get a "free" education? You really want to pay for the guy who will spend his whole life flipping burgers to get a college education that will just go to waste? I'm just going to assume not. Second, what does the minimum wage have to do with anything? Only about 3.5% of the workforce currently earn min wage so what sort of change are you expecting this to make?

A majority of those who said they worked their way through, are those who graduated a decade or more ago. It is much different now, and to sit and compare what you did, with the challenges of what students have to go through now, just goes to show how ignorant you are.

My son just got a job that pays $14+/hour right out of high school. I think the ignorant people are the ones who think things are so much worse for them than they were just 10 years ago. They are ignorant because the majority of them just sit and bitch about how hard things are even though they've made little effort to do anything for themselves. Boo hoo, woe is me, I can't look for work because everyone says there are no jobs.

It is absolutely no wonder this country is declining at the rate it is.

This country is declining because of people who share YOUR attitude. It's laughable really. If you want to know what "hard" is you should have walked a mile in my grandmothers shoes 80 years ago. If you had to live a week in her life someone like you would likely just curl up in a ball and whimper until you died. Somehow she manged to raise 5 kids (three more died as infants and you think you've got things tough now) with a fraction of a fraction of the opportunities you have.

Indieparty...

Every single person that brags about "working their way through college" would not be able to do it now.

Really? I paid out of state tuition to attend a state university and worked 3 part time jobs + get a student loan to make up the difference all during a time when $2.50 was considered a good factory union starting wage. I even quit for over a year to save up funds to continue.

Slice and dice however you want but related costs and wages were little different then as they are today for the value received (assuming that your major has the ability to repay your loans and that you can afford the college of your choice).

I wonder why so many foreign nationals are willing to come to America for a university and graduate education and spare us the argument that they ALL HAVE rich parents or their countries are footing the bill.

IndieParty - I could and I do pay for myself to go to college. I've been in "college" for the last 15 years earning two Bachelors and two Masters degrees. On top of that, I paid for each class, books, and student fees out of my own pocket. Another words I worked and paid my own way without a loan or protesting fees. If costs got too high, I simply stopped taking classes and saved a bit more until I could go back to school. Once I finished one degree, I started another.

College is not a right. No where does it say that the State of California (or any other government for that matter) owes you or anyone else a college education. The first 12 grades are a right afforded you as they should be; the remaining years spent getting a higher education is a privilege plain and simple. I find the people demanding a "free education" rather omnipotent and self-righteous. Who do you think pays for the professor's salaries, the buildings, the campus and the faculty at large? It's the tuition paid by the students for the privilege of higher learning.

Sooner or later you're going to have to learn that nothing is for free; the burden of cost is carried by someone at all times. Better watch out because eventually you're going to run out of "someone else's" money and they will be knocking at your door next for their "free" whatever.

And since you're knocking conservatives for not giving a damn, who do you think runs the majority of the college system these days? It's the card carrying, "Democrat or die" LIBERALS! Sounds like you guys are protesting your own handiwork!

?!?

Tax money isn't yours, it's Congress' . Just because you can type doesn't mean that anyone needs to believe your misconceptions. No, typing in caps doesn't prove anything either.

fyrboss

If you can't afford to pay for your school...........take your kid and protest??? Jail the mom for parental incompetence.

Your parents should have been jailed for procreating.

fyrboss--

"Jail the mom for parental incompetence". Really? What the hell is that?

Is parental incompetence not getting an education? -- and hoping your children follow in your footsteps? Or are college grad wannabee's just snobs- -- as one poorly educated candidate says?

Do you think that we should JAIL those that assault our own citizens instead -- or perhaps a good strip search will teach them a lesson------

Your understanding of the issue is juvenile. College tuition rates have consistently been rising at triple the rate of inflation. This means the cost to attend college doubles every 7-9 years depending on your location. What has income done in the same time period? This means your understanding of paying for college 20 years ago is irrelevant. College right now is literally being priced out of the marketplace.

Unfortunately the market place doesn't push back effectively because colleges and states know that they can just pass the increase to students who will pay for it with federal financial aid loans because it doesn't feel like real money to them and in the end they have no choice if they want a better life.

What is at stake is the prosperity of millions of people and the economic security of a nation. The culprits are university spending priorities, a decline in state support for public universities led by the right, and a student loan program in desperate need of reform.

Monies used to supplement OTHERS education should not be taken from THE TAX PAYER MONIES!!!!!! If people want to donate to a higher education fund, fine, use that money, but leave my tax money out of it.

I agree. I mean, I WANT to live in a wasteland where 50% of the population are illeducated drones incapable of performing even menial tasks. I WANT to live in a country that is rapidly surpassed by nearly every emerging nation (e.g., China, India, etc.) and I WANT to live in a world where my children master the art of asking "do you want fries with that."

Hear Hear, LEAVE MY TAX MONEY OUT OF IT!!!1!11!

Santa Monica College is a local Community/Junior College, not a State College or University. $540 for a Community College course seems unreasonably high to me.

"Tax money isn't yours, it's Congress'"

Spoken like someone that doesn't pay taxes...

This is eerily like a recent caller to a radio program I heard. The woman was collecting 'entitlements' and insisted that American taxpayers did not pay her welfare. She was emphatic that it came from 'Obama.' When asked where she thought the money came from, she replied, "I don't know...his stash!"

Ummm...wow.

les54,

I guess tax money grows on trees, and every morning congress and Obama goes out a picks it off the ground and trees. No, they don't do that they hire someone to do it.

The money I pay to the IRS is with the understanding that MY MONEY will be spent reasonably and with the governing body taking responsibility for wasting it. IT CERTAINLY IS "NOT" CONGRESS"S MONEY. What an idiotic statement. And, I do pay and have paid all my life. The fact "students" want someone else to give them someone Else's money for their education and expect that MY TAX $$$$ are in a fund for that, is called stealing. Pay back the student loans, or get arrested. Don't pay your bills, face the judge. Your entitlement mentality is a stain on America. Having not gone to college, cause I chose not to and still worked all my life and managed to make a decent living....through choices, I am overly qualified to sit in judgement of those that would steal money from those of us that pay our taxes. It is our money to be used for the running of the country. No one has the right to condemn me for not liking my tax dollars wasted. I know that goes against everything liberals think they know about how things should be, but...then again there has never been a liberal/socialist government that succeeded in making a country prosper.

First of all, the money you pay to the IRS, which is a private corporation and not part of the government is being stolen from you. The IRS is a collection agency for the government. It has never been audited and the money stolen could be anywhere.

Secondly, you are assuming none of the students have / had jobs or have never paid taxes.

Thirdly, The students don't want the course (s) fees to increase and wanted their say in the matter. They already pay course (s) fees.

Finally, If you comment without knowing what or even anything you type, EVERYONE has the right to condemn you. But I won't. You are clearly the result of not choosing to further your education.

PIGS...

You're being a little too harsh on the PIG population. But if you are referring to the police, OK

Jeff-143...

...The culprits are university spending priorities, a decline in state support for public universities led by the right, and a student loan program in desperate need of reform.

You wouldn't want to elaborate more on this would you?

Seems that the obvious arguments would be within the realm of what universities should be doing with directed endowments from alumni, pay scales to retain talent or tenured professors, academic and athletic scholarships, research facilities to attract the best students, states having to direct resources for an ever increasing spread of programs outside of education, etc, etc.

What reforms do you suggest for student loans? Lower interest? Longer payback timelines? How about capping the amount a student can borrow based on the low average of what that students major can be expected to earn with that major?

BTW - What does the right have to do with states not having adequate funds? especially in democrat controlled california?

Iowa loves PIGS. At least when the wind is blowing in the right direction.

Bob fu, did you sleep in civics class or just skip school? Have you paid taxes and if so not read the forms? The IRS is part of the "Department of the Treasury".

@jeff-1434833

The culprits are university spending priorities, a decline in state support for public universities led by the right, and a student loan program in desperate need of reform.

You seem to grasp the problem but in your desperation to blame "the right" you've neglected to mention (or even to notice most likely) that is was the LEFT that started this mess. It's only since 1965 that college tuition rates have increased at three times the rate of inflation; right after LBJ decided to "help" us all get an education with the Higher Education Act of 1965. Just another example of how liberals fck everyone over with their need to "help" us.

floyd-335513

les54,

I guess tax money grows on trees, and every morning congress and Obama goes out a picks it, off the ground and trees. No, they don't do that they hire someone to do it.

Tax money? No but basically you are correct. Except of course the "tree" is actually a printing press and Obama has gone in twice already to "pick" money from it. Of course to be fair, GWB, did a fair ammount of picking off that tree also.

Jerrytoo:

The IRS was not established through positive law ie: an act of Congress, therefore does not have the authority to enforce the IRS code. They are a bureau of the treasury and do report to the Secrertary of the Treasury who does have authority over them. The 1040 instrcution booklet even reads income tax is voluntary. Because people figured this out, Congress simply changed the law to collect taxes. The 1040 form does not even have the OMB # that is required to make it legal. (the Paper reduction act)

Once you pay your taxes that money is no longer yours. It belongs to the government. That being said, we are supposed to elect people to Congress who will spend our money wisely, of course they tell us what we want to hear to get elected then spend the government's money like drunken sailors ( I mean no offence to drunken sailors). We are partially to blame for this because although we want the government to cut back on spending we also want that government money to keep flowing back to our districts for various projects.

No education is free. K - 12 is paid for by property taxes that even people who have no kids in school pay. College is not free either unless you are in prison, then you can get a PhD. that won't cost you a dime and you have all the time you need to study. There's the answer for those who want a free education. Go rob a liquor store and you might still be able to get enrolled in the summer semester, but better hurry, time is running short.

Part of the problem with our economy is that some businesses believe that a person cannot learn certain jobs without a college degree. Not so. There are many people who run businesses that never went to college. There are people retiring from jobs now that never went to college, but their replacement is required to have a college degree. To think that a person has to have a college degree to supervise an assembly line or to be a foreman in a shop is ridiculous. College degrees are worth less now than they were in the '50s because back then only 10% had degrees and today 28% have them. This little tidbit of info came from last night's news.

Wrong Bob fu. Go to www.irs.gov and click on the 1040 form and at the top next to 2011 to the right you will notice that it has OMB No. 1545-0074. So I guess that makes it legal.

I stand corrected. The OMB does legitimize the form. My read is that it is supposed to regulate and / or limit how much information can be collected on individuals for the collection of taxes. But as stated, also per the IRS itself, the instructions for a 1040 say voluntary.

Soldiers dad, good points. However I would modify the idea of why employers look to the degree requirements as being more oriented to seperating the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. As you pointed out there will always be outliers and an advanced education is not always a sign of performance.

American thank you. The problem I personally have with some employers seeking degreed people is that they will take a degreed person with no actual work experience over someone who has done the job for years. Now to be fair, some employers will take experience in leiu of a degree but others won't. I myself would rather have a non degreed person with years of experience over a inexperienced degreed person, to me that would only make sense because on any job there are so many things you don't learn in school that one has to deal with in the real world. That is where the experience pays off since the experienced person knows what to do when things don't go according to plan such as when out of the ordinary things crop up.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing a degree, but in some cases they are not necessary. Getting a degree doesn't teach you the tricks of the trade that only come from experience.

Bob fu, I looked at the 1040 instructions at the IRS website and I couldn't find where it said that filing was voluntary. Could you help me locate that info ? I don't have a problem with it since I'll have a little coming back, but my wife may be interested in that since she'll owe.

I admire you Bob. It takes a man to admit he was mistaken. So many on here won't do that.

soldiers dad, point taken.

The cops probably forgot to post the *Warning Pepper Spray Shots Will Be Fired* sign out front.

Yes, charge the parent for endangering their child!

Heaven forbid you should consider 1) the parent may have been a single parent unable to find a sitter and wanting to have their voice heard so badly they took their child along or 2) the parent may be teaching their child that, should you have a valid concern, you should make yourself heard

I mean, we should all go to peaceful protests and expect to get attacked by the police. I mean, our politicians lie to us, the news media feeds us fear-campaign articles and we let people call 911 and then shoot an unarmed kid so... yeah, let's start expecting the police to attack peaceful protesters too

[begin sarcasm] JAIL THE MOM! [end sarcasm]

Steven100

Why was that child at a protest? The PARENTS of that child should be charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Why were the cops firing pepper spray at children?

Its not endangerment to take a child to a peaceful protest, its endangerment for cops to be trigger happy!

None of you know that the police fired pepper spray at the child. Pepper spray is an aerosol. Once it leaves the can it is carried by the wind currents and can affect people other that those at whom the spray was directed. G - 4 years old is a bit young to be trying to teach a child about our Constitutional liberties and a protest is not an appropriate place to take a child that young. Its a protest and not a picnic. There is always the possibility at a protest that either party (police or protesters) might get out of hand and the situation become dangerous. IF the parent actually took her child to the protest, then it was a poor decision on her part. She may have also just been in the area for other reasons and things escalated before she could leave.

GC --

Correct-- be silent and teach your children to be silent too----- people are servants to their government -- not the other way around-----------

Unfortunate that we could not go back to the good ole' days like Kent State in 1970 -- when our government (our own military) just shot (and Killed) our own people for protesting, or when campus cops tear gassed students just sitting on the ground, ----gee maybe we could still be in Vietnam? -----sarc/off.

What say we tear gas us some Tea Baggers?

I see your point Joemike--

The child was just collateral damage --- jeezzz.

joe, so dont you think the police should have take the fact that its an aerosol into consideration before spraying it into a crowd? No of course not, because that would involve intelligence. Cops sit around beating off at the thought of using their cool gadgets on civilians and when the opportunity arises they leap for joy. We all know it. Anyone who has been at the receiving end of "justice" knows it. The only ones to deny it are members of the justice system, and the naive.

Walks - apparently you didn't see my point at all.

thatguy - If you read the history of my posts I think you would find that I am strongly supportive of our Constitutional freedoms and probably more skeptical of law enforcement than most. I also note that whenever there is an article about police intervention in a protest that most of the posters here make the blanket assumption that the protesters were peacefully stating their cause in the most polite terms possible and the "jack-booted thugs" squashed their freedom of speech because the police hate liberty. What a crock. What my post said is that this event needs to be investigated and appropriate action taken against all parties that either overstepped their right to free speech or that overreacted to a peacful protest. The truth by the way, is probably somewhere in the middle.

Ya know you see some idiotic posts in here but this one is as stupid as it gets. If you have been a fool then I guess you think everyone should be....

Really? If these people only knew what the rest of us had to do to get through school. It's part of the process of growing up and seperating those of us who are motivated from those who are not. God help us if this is our future.

I know joe that wasnt a personal attack on you. I just really really don't trust cops. If you lived where I lived youd understand my sentiment. Whenever cops make a statement here we're just like..."uh huh, wheres the coverup?" I live in Fl by the way....if you couldnt guess. And this goes back long before the Treyvon event.

They should have arrested the " mother " for child endangerment. She took her kid into a situation she knew could turn deadly at any moment from either side. Jail for sure .

@thatguydownsouth --- Ever thought about moving, or is it just easier to belly ache? Be careful --- you may drown in that shallow gene pool.

@thatguydownsouth --- Ever thought about moving, or is it just easier to belly ache? Be careful --- you may drown in that shallow gene pool.

Of course. I mean, we all have several thousands of dollars sitting in our savings accounts to pay for moving expenses, not to mention good, high-paying jobs waiting for us in whatever neighborhood we happen to find most desirable (real unemployment isn't far over 10%, that's just a government lie, real unemployment is actually NEGATIVE with such a surplus of good jobs out there!!)

Yah thatguydownsouth, just pick up your entire family/life and move, it's JUST THAT EASY!!

NC Vet, I love the logic of people like you. If I bring up a valid problem, Im "griping." Its the complacent people like you who left my generation a sh%* hole of an economy.

And btw Ive spend many a vacations in NC, if you want to talk about shallow gene pools....

I think alot of you are missing the point. Going from $46 per unit to $180 per unit is a 400% increase!!! So if Gas prices for the peak travel times (Memorial day, Summer Vaccation, etc) went from $3.85 to $15.40 per gallon you would be ok with that? Do you people not see whats wrong with that?? Just because some people may have jobs where they have Summers off (teachers, seasonal jobs,etc) and thats the only time they have to take courses, the school wants to take advantage of that and hike the cost 400%!! Just let the classes fill and if you didn't make it, it's because they filled up. Do the cost to teach the class go up 400%? No, it's just greedy!!

Joemike--

You're incorrect -- I do see your point. Given that the police also know that pepper spray is an aerosol , why would they use it on this crowd --- at all. I appreciate your attempt at balance -- but I think you've missed it here. Our Constitution ensures the right to peaceful protest (and that means it is sometimes messy and disorderly-- hence the "protest" part)-- so, whenever the government intervenes we should ask questions about why they did in my view. People come first.

BTW --how does one "overstep their right to free speech"?

In favor, the costs of higher education are a whole other issue that most probably dont even want to get into. My wife works at a College and the massive overhead is disgusting. The professors make about 45K a year (College not University) yet the administrators make at LEAST 80K. They have assistant deans, and deans, and presidents for every department for every subdepartment. Its unbalanced. If institutions like this were operating in "the real world" and without federal backing then they would collapse in a heartbeat. Its truly disgusting.

NC Vet --

"@thatguydownsouth --- Ever thought about moving, or is it just easier to belly ache? Be careful --- you may drown in that shallow gene pool."

There are many ways to effect change-- I don't think "fleeing" is a good one though.

Walks upright...

BTW --how does one "overstep their right to free speech"?

By violating anothers rights or threatening destruction of property. Most buildings have occupancy quotas, by your generalized thinking it would be acceptable to pack people into a room like sardines in a can. Then any injuries could be attributed to the university failing to provide adequate space and crowd control.

Their is no rational when a protest turns into a mob.

Heaven forbid you should consider 1) the parent may have been a single parent unable to find a sitter and wanting to have their voice heard so badly they took their child along

Then you suck it up and do whats best for the child and stay home. Thats called being a parent and adult.

the parent may be teaching their child that, should you have a valid concern, you should make yourself heard

Really? A four year old? Try again.

that guy - your post 5.8 is ridiculous and ill informed.

American ######,

What you have said is not the exercise of free speech. It might be vandalizing a building -- trespassing, etc. All of those are separate and distinct. Folks may break the law in other ways -- but it is not free speech that does it----

"There is no rational when a protest turns into a mob". I have no idea what you mean. Care to explain?

@american-2051576, thank you for disagreeing with me. Care to add anything of value to the conversation?

thatguy, your post 5.8 pretty much says it all. and you are welcome.

Walks upright - if a crowd turns into a mob where has any rational thought or actions gone other than to the actions of its most vocal members? Throughout history, events have turned out differently from what the original intent was. Think almost any national revolution, many vigilante necktie parties or even the race riots of the late 60's as well as recent events.

Ahhhh, but property or personal destruction is a possible outcome of someone exceeding the rights of free speech. Should it be right for someone yelling fire when there is none in a crowd? Or inciting a riot through inflamatory verbage? What would you call those celebrating an athletic victory by overturning vehicles or damaging the stadium?

American, so the police have the "right" to pepperspray people just to keep them from doing something that they have not yet done?

You need to qualify your statement. Of course nothing is free, but other/most industrialized, first world nations manage to provide universal health care, free or heavily subsidized university education, child-care, payed sick days until you are actually well and able to return to work, AND mandatory paid vacations.

Why do they do this and how are they able to? They know that an educated, happy and fearful society is a productive one. If more people are working, more people pay taxes. If more people are working at higher paying jobs they pay higher taxes; more taxes, more benefits for the citizens. Unfortunately that is not how it works in the US. We pay plenty of taxes but get less in actually service for our $$ than any other nation, mostly because we spend our money on war and rumors of war.

And please, don't talk about how all of the other nations are broke because of their social policies. All of the other nations are broke for the same reasons we are; unregulated sale and trading of worthless paper in the world stock/banking market.

Kathy --

Unfortunately some here think that universal health care is communism, socialism, Marxism --- yada, yada-- you get my point. You know -- like the communist nations of Israel, Canada, England, France. You're correct -- nothing is free. But the lack of proper health care and an education will cost much more than money.

We are after all -- "the greatest nation on earth", right? Why can't we get this done?

Nice post.

Kathy, talk about being naive.

And please, don't talk about how all of the other nations are broke because of their social policies. All of the other nations are broke for the same reasons we are; unregulated sale and trading of worthless paper in the world stock/banking market.

Yep that argument sure works well for the greeks and other southern EU countries. Not to mention future shortfalls within our own SS, medicare and underfunded government pension plans.

Seems that you are implying that cash is leaving government coffers chasing worthless paper, how droll.

We don't have a public debt of $15 trillion dollars just by chasing paper, but we do have it because politicians on both sides of the aisle sold us on the idea that this program is good and that program is good, that group deserves attention, etc, etc. Oh by the way, vote for me since I gave you all these great programs.

BTW - nothing is free, someone always pays, either through increased taxation or by voluntary means. Of course the feds can always crank up the presses and devalue the dollar. Wonder how free that will make college education? That most be the worthless paper you are referring to, right?

The Cops were out of line in this instance. Nothing was violent yet they responded violently by causing undue pain through the use of Pepper Spray. Possibly a time has come to take that aerosol of Pepper Spray away from COPS. History has shown that Cops no longer rely on their intelligence or negotiation skills; instead they shoot this dangerous spray first and ask questions later. Hence COPS have abused the use of a weapon used to induce harm rather than relying on their skills, intelligence and negotiations of compromise.

These Cops are not fit to be on the street for they lack skills and rely on the power of a damaging spray to do the work for them. They are much better fit for desk work!

@Kathy Stuart

And please, don't talk about how all of the other nations are broke because of their social policies. All of the other nations are broke for the same reasons we are; unregulated sale and trading of worthless paper in the world stock/banking market.

Yeah, having the government employ nearly a quarter of the population and letting those employees retire and start drawing a government pensions when they are still in their early 50's had nothing to do with their problems. <end sarcasm>

Silly - and you make this conclusion based on what? Even the video above shows the police line being pushed against in a way to push them aside and enter the room. Should we automatically assume that the students intent were all peaceable? I am surprised that the police showed such restraint as they were being pushed aside.

It say's the room was full to capacity. Police have to maintain control. We have LAWS in this country and just because your protesting it doesn't give you the right to break them. Our society is spoiled to think they DESERVE a FREE education or FREE anything for that matter.

lol @ we have laws in this country. Theres a law that you can pepper spray any members who would make a room over capacity?? Thats a new one to me. Of course it is Cali, they make great laws. I dont agree with WHAT they were protesting, but I do agree to their RIGHT to protest.

Funny thing, the constitution kinda trumps any law we currently have in place.

I have little sympathy for the protestors. They had an overflow room to go into. If the meeting room is filled to capacity, and the protestors refuse to use it, and are an arms length from police (stretch your own arm out for this one!), the situation is on the verge of a riot. They COULD NOT let more people in for safety and health issues. What would probabaly have been the best course of action would have been to call the meeting to 'rest' and moved it to a larger facility - like an auditorium. Also, students, and others, need to understand that you can be heard and still not get your way.

I did not get the impression that the 4 year old was attending the protest, just caught in the activity.

FIRST AMENDMENT:

Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

period.

Erinsfire - the operative word is "peaceably". Somehow I think what may have started out peaceably changed when a mob mentality took over or when a minority decided that they had more rights than another.

BTW - how many signatures were gathered for the petition?

Davidh---

Can you provide any support for what you just said? That the protesters are professionals? That they conveniently forgot about petitions (not that they should have used them anyway) That nothing was good enough for them --and their goal is not to express an opinion but to get into physical conflict? And to get on television? How do you know this?

Davidhoffman- I doubt that there were 'professional' protesters here. I was in college in the 70s, and this protest was too disorganized for that. If it HAD been 'professionally' organized, the protestors would have gotten in the meeting room, trashed the place, and another group would have taken over the offices while the police were handling the riot!

Seems that the school and most of those in the room behaved as adults, not really sure why the students needed a bullhorn in an enclosed space. BTW - some in the room sounded like all they wanted to do is rabble rouse.

To bad you didn't record the events leading to the pepper spraying.

I'm guessing you can't name another developed nation that offers it.

@les54tom - Yes they do it in Greece /EUROPE- oh wait - Greece on the verge of Financial collapse as is MOST of EUROPE!

TOO MANY FREE THINGS THEY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO GIVE AWAY.

They don't want a free Education they just dont want a financial enema the size of a Bull to get one and they shouldn't have to pay those big increases just because the school says it should increase price.

les54tom... Sure I can... Austria. But we are not Austria.

LyingRupublicans... I quote directly from the article... "Let us in, let us in" and "No cuts, no fees, education should be free,"

Does it not say education should be free??? Please read before attempting to contradict me. Thanks

The students quit studying economic history decades ago, most have no comprehension of what the Great Depression was all about much less what caused. Thankfully, that abundance of ignorance has left the authors of the current mess blameless.

Obviously it pays to have an advanced degree.

les54tom - as it should.

deweydan. Nationally, the average salary of a university president is less than 1% of the university's budget. Exactly what do you think would be accomplished by lowering that cost? I noticed however, that 7 of the 10 people you cite work at the University of Kansas Medical Center. I would assume that means that they are physicians. What do you think those people could make if they were in private practice? Depending on their specialty - at least 5 to 10 times those salaries. Yet they likely significantly restrict their income in order to train the next generation of physicians and you hate them for it. Across the board, from university president to lowly assistant professor, colleges pay people much, much less than they could earn if they worked in their area of expertise in private industry. If I do what I do in the private sector my average salary would be somewhere in the $125,000 to $150,000 range. If I go and teach others to do what I do that range falls to $60,000 to $75,000. Where do you think I'm working??

But But, Santorum says I dont need one!

Those that can t do teach and boy does it pay..........

deweydan. Nationally, the average salary of a university president is less than 1% of the university's budget. Exactly what do you think would be accomplished by lowering that cost?

well, to be fair, it would show some solidarity with rising tuition costs. Students would likely accept (at least much more tacitly) tuition and fee hikes if administrators would also take even moderate reductions in salary.

But when a president or chancellor goes from making $600k one year to $800k the next (such as Mark Yudof of the UC system, who joked about taking a pay cut from $800k to $400k if he also got Air Force One and the White House, i was there when he said it) and gets $350k per year in a pension then turns around and tells students "we're broke, and YOU'RE going to have to pay more for it" it rightfully upsets the kids.

It screams callousness and entitlement, and the kids are 100% correct in calling them out for it.

Don't you just hate it when "reality" bumps in to actuality. Why do we need colleges any way. Who is at fault when college graduates finish their "education" with a $100,000 debt and no job prospects for the future?

Who is at fault when college graduates finish their "education" with a $100,000 debt and no job prospects for the future?

Probably the people who say "I won't hire you without a degree" only to call that degree "meaningless" when they get to the other side.

We can't all be doctors, lawyers, and well-trained scientists...

The University of Nebraska at Lincoln football coach has a 7 figure salary. Whats your point?

falconer the point is it takes 30 students to pay for JUST the president of the colleges salary. Its a bit absurd that the student loan debt is at the point that it's at when just one person in the administation=30 students' debt.

Not a very good point. Every business has overhead that needs to be paid. This is like complaining it takes 30 brake jobs just to pay the mechanics salary. Not a valid point.

What parent, in their right mind would take their 4 year old into a protest!?

I am guessing the same type of parents that take their kids to political rallies holding up signs with sayings on it that the kid has no idea what it means.

Kids this age would rather be in the park playing instead of being drug into their parents issues.

There is a time and place to educate our kids about the world but four years old isn't the time.

Ask a four year old what a debt ceiling is, or what impact increased tuition fees have on America. The child is more interested in a drink of juice at that age.

Free speech doesn't mean that you have any right to disrupt meetings. It should be obvious that this was a stunt to garner media attention, and it worked. In answer to your question, one that wants to play on the sympathies of others.

The ones that would bring their children are probably the ones that think police would not hurt an innocent 4 year old or the ones that just happened by or those that did not realize the temperment of the police when they are protecting the very very rich establishment.

Sure we had to pay for college with loans that took a decade to pay back (for those of us not wealthy enough, or who did not get full scholarships). I do feel that is part of the show of dedication to furthering oneself in life and taking education seriously. I also sadly remember being repulsed by the kids who were 19 and 20 years old driving ridiculously expensive cars, clearly having their educations paid for 100% by their parents (perhaps an assumption but I doubt it). They were endlessly drunk at frat and sororority houses on weekend (which served...if I am correct..perhaps not...as entrees to high paying future careers via family connections). They took little to any interest (that I could see) in the educational process. There is indeed a difference

Sorry NYMike, but $540 for a three credit hour course is not expensive, not by a long shot. I was paying $750 out of my own pocket per three credit hours and that was without getting a loan or using tuition assistance because I refused to go into debt to pay for my college. Would you like to know how I did it? I got a JOB and paid for my college out of my own pocket. When I had the money, I'd go to class; when I didn't have the money, I'd not go to class and work more to pay for the next class. It's as simple as that -- nothing is free including a college education. Someone has to pay for it regardless of circumstances. I'd also be willing to bet the new $540 rate was still subsidized by the State and not the true full cost of the class.

It is when the same three summer courses are currently $138.00 dollars. Justify a $410.00 dollar increase for me please.

Also, subsidized by the state means more tax dollars being spent.

A $410.00 dollar increase per student during the summer, means $410.00 less dollars going to road work, job fairs and other vital areas.

The justification is that the State of California is broke and can't afford to keep subsidizing college courses at the prior levels so they reduced the subsidy. As I understand it, California is cutting back in a lot of areas, not just college so apparently there are no sacred cows.

And sorry but your math is wrong. The $410 more the students are paying means that's $410 more CA has to spend on something else such as road work and other things people enjoy, not less.

BTW, what's wrong with students paying their own way through college. Chants of "education should be free" is another example of people putting their hand out and demanding others pay. If you keep going down that road, eventually you're going to run out of "other people's money" and you're going to get stuck with the bill. That is exactly what's happening in not only California but in other States where budget deficit spending for years has finally come around and now the bill is due. I suggest California and the rest of us operate on a balanced budget and put 10 percent aside in a rainy day fund just like I do at home. If I don't have the money, I don't spend it...plain and simple.

Oh, BTW here's a link to Santa Monica College's "Summary of Fees" http://www.smc.edu/EnrollmentDevelopment/Admissions/Pages/Fees.aspx . The true cost per unit is somewhere between $275 - 295 for out of state/international students. That is the rate that is NOT subsizied by the State of California. So taking the lower number of $275 multiplied by 3 units would make a class actual cost around $825. $825 - $540 (new cost people are protesting) would leave a total subsidy of $285 still being paid by the State of California on every class taken by students at the college. That's approximately a 35 percent subsidy or another words, a 35 percent cost reduction for every student.

Math doesn't lie!

Obviously you didn't learn sufficient practical skills in school.

If I understand correctly, they were not part of the group. However, they were close enough to be sprayed. Mom should have not even gotten her child that close. Pepper spray or not, there were many people there and the risk of her child being hurt by anyone was greatly increased.

Poor judgement on moms part to even step that close to an angry group with her child to begin with.

The article specifically said they were part of the crowd, the only question is why? Of course, ms omon may have been lying.

Did you mean to type Guten tag?

A 4year old being used as a pepper spray deterrent didn't work quite to well, shame on the parent. Bring a mask next time.

People standing at arms length from those being sprayed complained of being sprayed in the mouth and nose. What did these people expect being that close, a coffee latte with extra whipped cream?

They want "free education"? I want no taxes at all so what gives and who pays?

I say next time protesters bring there own peper spray and when cop start to pull that crap out spray them in the face with it see how much they like that.

I say next time protesters bring there own peper spray and when cop start to pull that crap out spray them in the face with it see how much they like that.

Brilliant idea, tell us how it works for you.

I think you nailed it.

Hey Stonepipe! Been a bit. Are you & yours well?

Yes my friend, life is good in the sacred quarry. Peace and good luck, lots to do today or tomorrow if the sun shines!

Excellent on tacos I hear. You should try some. So much more convenient than salsa.

The protesters are sure to bring tacos the next time so they can use it to wipe the pepper spray from their noses, mouth and eyes oooooooooh that burns. BTW, pepper spray is made from cayenne extract and mixed with oil so it sticks real good on it's target and their clothes.

The defense of this nation depends on educated persons, making it harder to obtain an education weakens our nation. The right wingers are penny wise and pound foolish.

The dumbing down of the US & World is now beginning to be enforced regularly with force.

Yet, it was already working very well without the force part. I guess we are seeing the beginning of segration of wealthy and poor even in the Educational System.

Tick Tick Tick

I doubt that. There are so many white collar jobs to go around. Manufacturing jobs are the way to go. Bring those jobs back that requires just a high school degree. Why burden a generation with huge student debt over very limited white collar jobs?

Had-enough, good luck with that. Other than most of the service sector, manufacturers want skill sets that are not taught in HS. What is more valuable? One who knows only how to turn a wrench or one that can work with others and run sophisticated machinery?

Another thing to consider is our ever increasing global economy. Manufacturers are more likely to develop jobs where the demand is. Lots of people to sell to in china and india as well as the untapped emerging markets. We may have the #1 economy but china is now #2 and india is coming on strong as well.

Paganponderer, in my school some of it, 10k to be exact, went to purchase a new fish tank for my dean's office.

I just have a little problem with the contradiction in the statement from Captain Mitchell, from the fire department, who said there was no small child treated. That picture with this story sure looks like a small child had gotten some pepper spray. I suppose it is possible those people left to get help before the fire department arrived, but a cop should be able to see if there is a child in the mix of people he is firing at. As for the rate hikes, I feel for the students, but nothing is going to change until the Boards of trustees and the boards of regents are held accountable for obscene pay raises to University presidents and reckless spending.

The Obama administration would never lie to you...

Rallying against Raising the price of Education is not a temper tantrum its about fairness something that escapes the retarded brain of most republicans.

The only thing escaping is your failure to recognize the rising cost of living and inflation due to the rediculous amount of social welfare programs and govt bailouts. Maybe if our dear leader could reduce the deficit (at the cost of the people who suckle the govt tit to survive) we could raise the value of our dollar and the visual cost of tuition would drop to former levels. Remember who runs schools and education departments in America; liberals, not republicans.

What is "FAIR" about the government taking your money, that you earned through hard work and sacrifice, and "GIVING" (not lending) it to people that waste it?? What is "retarded" about the notion, er..fact, that when more money is spent than is generated, you go broke. Democrats have their heads so far up Obama's ass, they can't see that simple and "retarded" fact!! Our country's problems are not the fault of the wealthy, Bush, or the Republicans. It's the utopian pipe dream that with freedom comes everything FREE shared by idiot LIBERALS!!!

It is not about fairness. College education is not a "right." It is a business transaction between the student and the institution. If you think it costs too much, transfer to a cheaper school. If enough students elect to withdraw, costs decrease in order to encourage new enrollment. Seriously, this is econ 101. You are a grown-up now. Pay for your stuff. As for your attack on republicans, take a look at who runs american higher education and who decides tuition increases. The bluest of the blue. The same ones that convinced you that you "need" college and who control the student loan racket, with one of, if not the only, types of loans that are not dischargeable in bankruptcy. Wake up, young skull full of mush, before it is too late. Your party does not have your best interests in mind.

Normally I do not post on msn however some of the comments here do not seem to take into account the reason for the protest. The tuition rate hike is over triple what the students pay now. That is a huge cost increase. Most industries do not increase their products cost more than 20 percent in a given year. This increase is to high in my opinion. I was particuarly upset by elportonative77 comment about people who did not have the advantages that he did. I have been working part time since I was 15. When I graduated the least amount of hours I have ever worked is 30. Plus taken a full load of classes. My parents did not save for college for me. Not that we lived extravagantly by any means. There was never any extra to save is the thing. I had to pay for my education out of pocket. As a result I took on student loans. This was a huge mistake. Student loans are so confusing to the average freshman but the financial aid representative at the school just says the government will help you out just sign here. To a 17/18 even up to 22 year old the language in the promissory notes is confusing.

So I quite, dropped out, I was wasting my own money and still racking up major debt. I went to work full time with every intention of going back to school but determined that I will be smarter about it this time.

I have been taking classes part time at the local community college paying out of pocket for them as I go. I still work full time and I do enjoy my job. The point is now that I've given my whole life story is dont judge everyone by what you see on the surface. I'm now 27 I want my degree so bad but to actually obtain it I will have to take on more debt. Which is okay now that I completely understand how student loans work. After I graduate I will teach in the United States for a year and then will join a program where I teach English overseas I'm not sure about which country but there has to be a better way for middle class people to obtain a degree. I love the idea of people working in the service of the government. Maybe if say you can go to college and we will foot the bill but after you are done you have to work for the government for 2 years in order to pay us back. Just a thought.

Higher education to what end? The highly educated that run the Federal Reserve U.S. banking system are so well educated and are directly responsible for the global financial disaster. Blow-back to that piece of highly educated money changers programs has caused the types of legal right to question the reason for higher cost with no guarantee of work to pay those high costs. Are we being beat down buy these costs just to follow guide lines set by such comity's. A case in point; I have two children that attended a local collage, the older girl took basic classes with one major. Her books cost over $400.00. Two years later the youngest went to the same collage but was required to purchase books published by a different company at a greater cost. Later a nephew was able to take two of the books. I think you can see my point of to what end a higher education. Sometimes I think we are so smart we are actually stupid. Educators as well as politicians were well aware that the Federal Reserve never was a government enttity. A little insite to that fact even at a lower level of education may have gone a long way toward understanding what is happening today. Government in education is a huge farce and serves only a select few in the over all scheme of things.

Shame on those Iraqi parents that brought their kids to a U.S. bombing rally. Don't expose your kids to over zealous thaser or pepper spraying cops. If they are free long enough they can be surprised by that later in life. Hitler needed police, Stalin needed police, as any tyranny must have a blind police force or a Republic may survive. The big corporations, banks and power hungry elite rely on paid police enforcement to advance there agenda. Police just don't get convicted for violent action on private citizens. If I step in a pile of dog sh-t my first reaction is something stinks. My first reaction to this is something stinks.