Education cuts are anti-job
The governor and legislative Democrats and Republicans all pledge to bring high-quality jobs to Kentucky. Good jobs require a qualified, educated workforce.
These politicians, however, cut funds to our colleges and universities. How does this affect bringing new jobs? One rating service ranks our K-12 system 41st in the country with the comment: “Low spending and weak school system.”
In a Business Journal rating of public universities and colleges, the University of Kentucky comes in at 101, Louisville 159, Murray 161, Western 226 and Northern 227. Eastern, Morehead and Kentucky State are rated between 250 and 483. In an academic rating of Southeastern Conference schools, UK is 12th out of 14. Louisville, in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is rated 15th — dead last.
Taking money away from public universities means they will have fewer resources to educate the workforce. Tuition will rise to make up for the funding loss. As a consequence, fewer high school students will be able to afford our colleges, there will be limited funds for remedial help for high school graduates who are not ready for college, infrastructure will deteriorate and keeping good faculty will be more difficult.
Hence, there will be fewer college graduates and fewer candidates for an educated workforce.
Our government is doing its best to keep good jobs from coming to Kentucky.
Richard M. Rawdon Jr.
Georgetown
This story was originally published May 9, 2016 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Education cuts are anti-job."