FARMINGTON, Conn. — President Joe Biden delivered his first speech to Congress on Wednesday, One area of focus was education.
"If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times: “Joe, any country that out-educates us is going to outcompete us," the president said, referring to his wife who is a community college professor herself. "She’ll be deeply involved in leading this effort. Thank you, Jill."
The President unveiled the American Families Plan calling for free, or taxpayer-funded, schooling for all 3- or 4-year-old children.
Another aspect for affordable education, Biden is proposing free, or again, taxpayer-funded community college.
Governor Ned Lamont reacted to the President's address saying in part, "It proposes to make permanent investments in our children and our families by making health insurance, childcare, and education affordable for all."
Rafaele Fierro, a history and government professor at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, said the news sounds exciting but adds that there are always pros and cons.
“I have a mixed reaction, to be honest. On the one hand, who wouldn’t want free college education, especially for students who are part of our most vulnerable populations," said Fierro. “My hesitation would be that nothing is actually free."
He continued: "In some sense, that’s a misnomer, someone has got to pay for it, and given the president’s overall budget request, my concern is that when you talk about trillions of dollars, not just for free college but other kinds of funding across the board, then that comes with a pretty price tag.”
In Connecticut, an organization called PACT aims to make community college accessible and affordable.
The PACT funding for the spring 2021 semester has ended. However, qualified students who attend in the spring will remain eligible for PACT funding in future semesters. Additionally, federal, state, and institutional aid is still currently available.
The White House believes these investments will give American children a head start and pave the way for the best-educated generation in US history.
To learn more about PACT go here: https://www.ct.edu/pact
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