Destruction in Higher Education vs. Destruction of Higher Education

The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword.

On Friday, protesters destroyed property at the home of Robert J. Birgeneau, Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley.  This action violated the law.

At the same time, the law condoned a far deeper destruction of education throughout the state.  The governor and the legislature decimated public education, all the way from the primary schools to the state’s university system.

For the most part, business applauded the state’s stance. Why not? Education will have no choice but to turn to the private sector to run public schools or to take stakes in the universities, as BP has done with the University of California, Berkeley.

Affluent taxpayers, who can afford private education, can rest easy, knowing that increase taxes are not on the horizon.  Many ignorant people, whipped up by a false populism, also cheer on the shrinking of the state.

The loss of the Chancellor’s planters and windows is regrettable, but they will be easily replaced.  In contrast, the educational system may never recover.

The protesters did not constitute a threat. In fact, their actions may not even been productive.

Woody Guthrie once wrote: “Some will rob you with a six-gun, And some with a fountain pen.”  Alas, we know who holds the fountain pens.

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