America is a profit motive driven society. Offer money for something and a group of people will emerge to accept that reward. We offer money, food stamps, and free education opportunities to young unwed mothers who are a burden on society in the hope that their children will not grow up to become a like burden upon society, and guess what, we have the largest such population in the civilized world, surprise, surprise ! While an effective measure to curb such behavior might be to put the kid up for adoption, tie the mother up in the town square and beat on her for 30 minutes or so, tie up her tubes and turn her loose, its simply not the American way. But what we can do is stop discriminating against, (and thereby punishing), those young people who are making an honest effort to carry their own weight and be responsible citizens by trying to obtain their means of survival first and their family second.  Any young person willing to go on to obtain additional training either in a technical school or a college should be offered at least the same rewards as those offered to unwed mothers and convicts, and preferably more. Hence, the following bill.

Higher Education Bill:

We will offer free tuition and subsistence allowance to all young people who wish to continue their education, but with the following strings attached:

We'll have class A, B and C student ratings.

Class A's get subsistence allowance in the form of money to live on so they have the freedom to choose where they wish to live and what they wish to eat, (they may live in the dorm if they please).

Class B's must live in the dorm, but also get a small spending allowance as well.

Class C's get free room and board and hand-me-downs to wear only, must adhere to a daily curfew, and undergo weekly drug testing as well, and counseling if they test positive, and, if the problem persists, expulsion from the program.

Everybody must go to the school of our choice, not yours. You may go to the school of your choice, but you must pay the difference, (in one form or another), if it costs more than our choice.

Everybody gets free tuition and begins the program with a class A rating.

Everybody must be willing to submit to tests for cigarettes, alcohol, and all other drugs known to man, twice a year.

If you consider that a violation of your personal freedom, fine, go buy your own education, or seek private funding, and enjoy your privacy.

Everybody must maintain a C average, failure to do so would result in a class B rating and probation one quarter, class C rating after two quarters, and expulsion from the program after three quarters.

Unwed mothers and anyone who gets pregnant, (or causes a pregnancy), while in the program gets a class C rating for the remainder of their time in the program.

Higher allowances will be offered to those seeking degrees in high demand areas.

Repayment to the government for your education will be required in one of the following forms:

Two to four years of public service (time depending upon the nature and location of the service, and whether it is prior to or following your education) during which you will be given a subsistence allowance only.

Repayment of the money within ten years after graduation. (Falling "too far" arrears in payments would land you in public service.)

This may sound like a gigantic social giveaway. But folks, it attacks the roots of our problems instead of band-aids the results thereof. Besides, I believe it will be cheaper in the long run than what we are now doing in response to our burdens upon society.