Comments about ‘Utah Legislature: Senate Oks bill limiting scholarships’

It is foolish to cut funding for this program. It is a win/win situation for all involved; students who desire a more rigorous high school education get it, motivated students aren't bored with basic fluff classes and the cost savings alone makes this program worthwhile. Allowing motivated, qualified students to receive a college education and save on debt through student loans (or parental debt) is only good.

Legislators need to understand one thing. Without higher education we as a society are doomed. Yet the law makers of this state are doing everything possible to make higher education less available. Also sooner or later a high school education will be reduced to internet learning and no tests to get a diplomea . Soon if these traitors to society get their way, high school will be 9th and 10th grade. For us to keep up with the rest of the world we need to change high school to 9th - 15th grade and then college starting at age 20. Students would be more mature and have an easier time getting their college degrees. Yet we fund soccer stadiums, zoos, trains no one travels on, dedicated bus lanes that the buses don't use. Rule the law makers or they will drive you into the ground.

While this is a wonderful program and the recipients benefit immensely, there is a cost that comes with it.

The costs are paid by other people, the taxpayers, who are forced to give up things THEY would like to do with THEIR MONEY. Perhaps things like sending their own kids or grandchildren to college, or investing money in a business that will hire more workers, or maintain their homes.

A generation ago, scholarships were very few, and it was the norm for a family to pay for college educations for their kids.

Now, we have been taught that everything is free, to be paid for by confiscating other peoples money, or by governmental borrowing which indentures recipients of scholarships like this to a life of indebtedness.

We can NOT afford to give everyone everything they want, regardless of how wonderful that might be. Anyone who disagrees is welcome to set up a scholarship program of their own to help others, but we do not need the Legislature to do it for us.

Students can still earn their Associate degree while in High School and then go on to complete the remaining two years to obtain their Bachelors Degree at their own expense not the public purse. They have still saved a lot of money by being diligent and working hard in High School to get head start. Many of us worked multiple part-time jobs to pay for our education and valued it all the more because we earned it. Perhaps today's graduating high school seniors need to learn to pay their own pay so that they can learn to responsibly manage their budgets throughout their lives instead of thinking that their will always be a government safety net and a freebie which they can count on.

In an effort to save a few dollars now, they will end up spending 3 to 4 times that much later. This is short sighted and a terrible mistake! This program is one of the best success stories we have to look at in our states education system. I guess this is what is called the redistribution to mediocrity! This is one of the worst decisions the legislature has made this year! Once a student is enrolled in the program with the scholarship, they should be able to complete the program through graduation. The young lady in this article is the perfect example why this should have been funded. She has entered the work force earlier, contributing more to the tax base from the fruits of her labors than most of her peers - that will continue to be a financial drain on education spending. I hope the Govenor vetoes this!

Government cannot, should not and was never intended to fund EVERYTHING. We are being taxed to death in Utah, in part, because of all of the people like the first two posters who think that government (in the form of TAXPAYER money) should pay for everything and do everything for people who can do for themselves. If you want to help a kid fund their college education, good for you--arrange that yourself. But get your fingers out of MY wallet!

Education is not a 'gift' from the government; it is paid for by the people who pay taxes. Governmental services are not 'earmarked' for the selected few, but are provided to all citizens regardless of their special needs or special abilities.

Government has no authority to give preferred treatment to any citizen, no matter how hard that person works or how qualified that person is.

Giving scholarships to any subset of the population is not a function of government.

"Cut" has it right. Kids can always work to begin their college education before they graduate. It seems to me that Utah might be able to do a better job of funding their schools if they would quit funding trendy alternatives. This option runs the risk of getting the public used to opting out of high school, at the public's expense. Then, when the public stops paying for it, the politicos will decide that 4 years of high school isn't necessary. Perhaps "10:18 Anonymous" should ask him/her self why there is so much "fluff" in Utah education. Insufficient funding, or a misguided belief that the liberal arts aren't worthwhile? Meanwhile, China is beginning to re-evaluate their education style away from teaching-to-the-test and in favor of teaching kids the humanities to help them become critical thinkers. While we "race [each other] to the top," we just might find ourselves eating dust, as other nations leave us behind when they choose to copy what we used to do before testing became our standard. It is better to learn to innovate than to merely regurgitate.

The scholarship is available for Utah colleges. In-state tuition doesn't cover the cost of college - the state is still picking up 40% or more of the tab. So, this motivates kids to combine college with the last two years of high school - that's already saving the state a lot of money. And we get a more educated population that's going to work two years sooner for higher salaries, paying higher taxes. I'd have to say this program pays for itself.

To: High School Students: Enough already, pay for your own higher eduation by yourself or with the help of your family. You will appreciate it more when you have earned it. Who said it should be easy! I would like to keep my tax money to help my family obtain their degrees. I don't expect my fellow citizens to feed, clothe or take care of me or pay for my higher education.

Pathetic.

Give the kids no incentive to stay in our great state.

No wonder the only ones that are immigrating here are not really supposed to be here.

MR above me once again shows his ignorance.

tax free dream.

I HAVE A DREAM!

In Glenbeckastan Utah, no one should pay any taxes....

I have a dream that the sons of tax payers, and the sons of tax receivers will one day, not have to sit down at the same table and eat together.....


That one day, my four little GOP kids, will not be judged by the color of their greed, but by the content of their money!



Yes, in Glenbeckastan no one pays taxes.

No one will take away our dream in

GLENBECKASTAN!

"Pathetic, Give the kids no incentive to stay in our great state"

Firstly why should we give kids any incentives. They need to make their own choices based on the available opportunities. I suggest that kids have every incentive to stay in Utah. They can earn their Associate Degree while in High School to lower their overall college costs plus:

1. Quality of Life
2. Educational Opportunities
3. Lower Tuition overall and In-state Tuition
4. Close to family
5. Recreation Opportunities
6. Low crime rates

People move all the time to improve their lives and many even choose to move to Utah. Give kids graduating from High School the same choices and allow them to be functional adults by planning for their own futures and higher education. The goverment has no business paying for someone to earn a degree.

@8:45,

Is it a function of government to shape society? Is it a function of government to 'give' you privileges at the expense of others?

Tax payers PAY for services. Those services are not GIFTS from government. Government has not right to give preferential treatment to any segment of the population.

If you want to fund a scholarship, then, by all means, open your wallet and fund as many scholarships as you can, but DO NOT take from others their tax paid dollars to fund YOUR special interest project.

Students have become the pawns of special interest groups.

When you give tax dollars to one student in preference to all of the other students who are also citizens of this State, you are stealing from all those who did not receive special treatment.

That may be YOUR desire. That may be YOUR form of government, but it is not the form of government that the people of this state and of this nation have allowed.

I'm amazed and dismayed that high school is so very hollow, that students with even a little motivation can finish high school AND finish the first two years of college, all before they turn 18.
I suggest that parents should be pressing for a REAL education in high school. If high school is that hollow, WHY are we continuing to pay for it, as we do. Even Senator Buttars suggested that we eliminate the 12th grade, and isn't it amazing and sad that, instead of that being the craziest idea the legislature ever heard, it actually got some traction!! We should demand that high school become more rigorous. There are so many that graduate from high school and yet get blown away when they get to college because they've never faced the slightest bit of rigor yet, despite having their high school diploma.
I know, because I work at one of the State's colleges. I see it first hand.
Ask the colleges about how much remedial work the incoming students have to do. It's not everyone, but it's too many that aren't prepared.

Give us your stimulus money...
And take our children, because we are dead last at education spending in this country.

The world needs ditch diggers too!
And Utah is here to provide the educated (from other foolish states) with fine drainage and sprinkle systems dug by the strongest backs right after they return with honor but not much of a edumacation.

Society benefits from educating our youth.

On the other side I'm sure that most of our legislature with the loudest voices didn't have no need for education beyond 6th grade.

The voice of the well paid teachers has been heard. Their failure to properly educate the students has also been noted. Money is not the solution. Greed is not the cause. Those who look to their own interests will always be asking for more, even while they ignore those whom they are under contract to teach.

Giving a scholarship is NOT the answer. TEACHING ALL students before they leave High School is the answer.

Those who would divert funds from their intended purposes to favor a VERY FEW students, are not interested in education. They are only interested in furthering the activist groups that manipulate the system for their own interests.

I would say these students, some who reside in my neighborhood, have earned these scholarships. They work very hard at rigorous studies, sacrificing free time and fun time at high school, to better themselves in a very short period of time. The benefit to the community is they will become working, tax-paying, contributing members of society quicker than their peers. There are many options in high school for more rigorous studies. This is but one of them.

I are a Consuvative what do NOT like taxes and I don't see know reeson to edukate our kids enny more than the bear minnimum. No taxes, no taxes, no taxes!!! We don't need no edukashun, we just need mo self-control.