High school students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher work hard to maintain their grades. A lot of those students also juggle jobs, sports, and extracurricular activities. High school students take on the responsibility of extracurricular activities because they want to exhibit the ability to manage multiple things at once. High school students whose parents can not afford college will get a job from their ninth grade year all the way up till their senior year while maintaining a B average.  These students should be rewarded for their perseverance and dedication to doing well for themselves and their families. When students do well they should be rewarded and with the thought of free higher education more and more scholars will aim for excellence. High school students who have shown excellence in school with a GPA of 3.0 or higher should be rewarded with free education at college.

One crushing reason that can not be ignored is that many high school graduates go straight to the workforce instead of college because of the fear of debt. A lot of companies like Google and hospitals, that need bright students who work diligently like students with a B average GPA miss out because they can’t afford to go to college and get their degree. High school graduates in middle-class families can rarely afford to go to a second-year college never mind a four-year college and have to take out heavy loans. High school graduates fresh out of high school do not know about low-interest loans and most of the time take out high-interest loans that they can not pay back. If college was free for students with a B average then they would not stress about debt and focus on their grades and not have to work.

In some states like Chicago and Tennessee, they already have free schooling at community colleges. They demonstrate that it is possible for states to do this and still be able to thrive.  If there are already places that have been doing so well with free higher education so can other states. President Obama made a speech in 2015, “In that speech, Obama said, “Tennessee, a state with Republican leadership, and Chicago, a city with Democratic leadership, are showing that free community college is possible. I want to spread that idea all across America so that two years of college becomes as free and universal in America as high school is today” (Powell).  Barack Obama makes a valid point that Chicago is a democratic state and that Tennessee is a Republican and yet both states have colleges with free education. Tennessee does not use taxes by the people but a unique way to pay for their free schooling. “The plan would be funded from a lottery reserve – meaning no new taxes – and it would require students do community service to qualify, so it wouldn’t be seen as a handout” (Wermund). Tennessee uses the lottery to pay for college and have not added any debt to what they already have. Students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher benefit more than students with a low GPA with free schooling because the former goes to college longer.  Tennessee and Chicago are only the beginning of free colleges, four-year universities can utilize the same method as Tennessee and Chicago and with students with high GPAs universities can have even more success.

College not only furthers one’s education it makes people into better citizens who contribute to society when they are older. Scholars with B average grades are more likely to pick majors that contribute to the economy, environment and further our advancements in technology. College graduates do not rely heavily on the government on assistance and know more about taking care of the environment.  “These same alumni will also contribute $44,000 more in local and state taxes that advance civil services, enhance infrastructure, fund public schools and support the arts” (Tupa). There are many benefits to free schooling that far outweigh the cons of not giving free education to students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, for example, students with degrees are less likely to need government assistance like food stamps and students giving back to the community they grew up in.

College should be free for students because without free education so many students that deserve it will not be able to go. Mothers who have multiple children can’t afford to send them all. If that mom with the two or more kids had the support of free education then she wouldn’t have to make the difficult decision of having to pick only one B average or higher child that can or can not go to college. There are a lot of parents who have to make sacrifices to send their children to school by having to work multiple jobs and spending their day away from their kids. Free education could solve this issue for parents and students with a high enough GPA who achieve good grades but can not afford the thousands of dollars in college costs.

In conclusion, free higher education for students with a B average can be supported by several facts. Tennessee and Chicago are only the beginning of free colleges there are other states that will soon be joining them. Scholars with a GPA of 3.0 or higher make taxpayers and investors more comfortable with giving them money for free schooling because they have proven that they can be successful. The cons of free education like students not being motivated and money cost may seem phenomenal but compared to the benefits that college graduates offer the economy and their communities they are meek in comparison. There should be no room for debate on whether or not students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher should receive free education.  As George H. W. Bush said, “Think about every problem, every challenge, we face. The solution to each starts with education” (Sharma). Education is not just a fancy diploma it is the key to our survival, our future problems on climate change and so much more. By having free higher education for students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher we give them the opportunity to do much more than what they could have done without a college diploma.

Works Cited

Powell, Farran. “See Where Tuition-Free College Is Offered.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S.                                  News & World Report, Sept. 2018,    www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2018-02-01/these-states-offer-tuition-free-college-programs.

Sharma, Sunil. “George H.W. Bush -  The Global President.” Medium, Medium, 11 Dec. 2018, medium.com/@SunilSharmaUK/george-h-w-bush-the-global-president-41df5c2e0899.

Tupa, Abi. “News.” College Possible, 2 3 Aug. 2018, www.collegepossible.org/news/the-economic-impact-of-college-degree-holders/.

Wermund, Benjamin. “The Red State That Loves Free College.” The Agenda, 16 Jan. 2019, www.politico.com/agenda/story/2019/01/16/tennessee-free-college-000867.

The new immigration policy is that families who enter the United States illegally are separated. These families are not offered asylum even if they are victims. It does not matter if they are victims of domestic violence, or trying to escape a war filled country or if they lost their home due to climate change.  Mothers are taken from their children and placed into detention facilities. “In more than 200 cases, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, deported parents have made the painful decision to leave their separated sons or daughters behind in the hope that they will have a better life in America.” These parents rather be separated from their kids. The kids that they carried for nine months and birthed than have them return to their home countries. This leaves the children in mental and emotional horror. Children who thought they were coming to a better country now see the United States as nothing better than the country they left behind. 

There are more women and children refugees then there are men refugees. It is way harder for women with their kids because it takes kids loner because they can’t travel long distances. “By mid-2018, Turkey hosted over 3.5 million Syrian refugees, which around 70 percent are women and children.” Even if there are more women refugees they are at a huge disadvantage compared to women. Visas are given to science, technology, engineering and mathematics professions. This is a huge disadvantage for women who come from places where going to college is near impossible. Women who come to the United States are mothers who have been housewives, maids, cashiers or cooks. Women then have to depend on finding a male relative or husband to get into the country. Woman, on the other hand, are more involved in the labor workforce. Most immigrant women who enter the United States have to find low paid jobs and leave their kids home alone. 

The majority of the women who enter the United States are victims of sexual abuse. These women have faced huge challenges in their countries and come to America for a better life. They instead face more hardship and discrimination because they come to the United States. “According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, by the year 2013 approximately 21,500 young people from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico were displaced due to gender-based violence.” These women who deserve love and compassion are given none. 

The zero-tolerance policy that Trump passed in April 2018 needs to be changed because more than 3,000 children have been separated from their parents. A lot of attention has been given to this law recently with people recording moms being separated from their kids. People want to see this policy changed and it should be. It used to be that refugees were given asylum and treated as citizens of the United States. The refugees that enter into the United States are more often than not regular workers and mothers. They are simple folks who want to escape a bad situation. The government needs to declare this policy unconstitutional.

Childcare that is both profitable and has everything that parents are looking for is hard to come by and yet it is necessary for working parents. Parents who work do so because they have bills to pay and must provide for their kids. However, it’s hard finding good childcare and especially within travel distance.  “According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, in a study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the majority of American daycare providers ranked fair or poor and only 10% were deemed of high quality.” Parents who can not afford expensive child care have to settle for less or find other means of childcare. That usually means hiring a teenager who may or may not cook lunch for your child or one parent having to stay home. Americans spend a ton of money on childcare and yet parents can’t get what they pay for. Parents should be provided world-class childcare so that both mom and dad can work and know their child is being well taken care of. 

A lot of daycares are underfunded and have to charge parents more than what they should pay. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, child care workers earn even less than home health care workers.” If childcare workers were taken more seriously and made to get licenses and professional training daycares could get more funding. Parents would pay to have their children go to daycares with licensed professionals. The children would not be the only ones to benefit from this so would parents. Parents can be reassured that their children are receiving the best care and that their money is not being wasted. 

A dusty, old, grey cap sits behind a glass frame with other mementos from the civil war. A glass window to the right separates employees going down an escalator to clock into work. There is an electronic store filled with the newest beats and other devices. There is no one inside but who goes to the airport for high priced beats. No one. There is a line of people stretching around a tall clock that resides in the middle of dining plaza which is in the domestic terminal. There are twice as many black chairs for passengers to sit in as they wait for their flight. There are families with little kids who push carriages around and young couples with light luggage. The families ignore the smell of waffles drizzled in butter pecan syrup from IHOP and fried, greasy chicken from Popeyes. One family with a little boy about four and a girl around seven stop at IHOP so that they can eat. They probably came two hours early for their flight and figured they had all the time in the world. The little boy argues briefly with his mom about wanting to feed himself. The mom gives up and begs him not to make a mess. Surprisingly, he does not. The kids gasp at seeing a lab service dog while their parents talk about uncle Bobby and his eccentric girlfriend. A casual family eating a casual breakfast. The dad reaches for the bill and takes out three twenty dollar bills. As the mom helps the kids gather up their luggage.

“Bill, tell me we don’t have to wait in this line?” The mom says with a firm face.

“We have an hour and a half. We will make our flight. Don’t worry.”

“Ugh, Bill. What if Henry needs his inhaler. I didn’t pack it because this was supposed to be a fast flight.”  Brown, white, tan, dark skin – they all blend together as passengers wait in line to go through the security check and onto there designated gates at different concourses. At the airport, there is no one culture. This is where all cultures come to travel to their destination and the culture barrier of language is ignored. One particular old, black man is quite antsy as a woman gets out of line to speak to one of the employees.

“No skipping.” The man says.

“I wasn’t skipping. I was asking a question.” The black woman replies.

The line finally moves up a little inch-by-inch as family members who were sitting down join their families in the front.

“Please be patient folks. The line is moving as fast as possible. If you could have your tickets out that would be a great help.”

On any other day of the week, the Atlanta airport is busy and packed with people coming from the snow-covered state of Rhode Island or from the mountain tops of South Korea to many other places but the Super Bowl is one of the busiest times of the year causing airport congestion to occur. The airport is huge it’s like arriving at Six Flags for the first time. There are many people with their eyes bugging out, and mouth wide open. The airport has a beautiful art collection which has a broad history of Atlanta. One is a digital picture of downtown, Atlanta. There are several dining options like Popeyes, Dunkin Donuts, IHOP, Five Guys, Starbucks and so much more. Bright, shining lights greet you all around with directions in white above you. There are seven concourses in all A, B, C, D, E, F, and T.

That’s the calm before the storm. What started out as a peaceful flight has now taken a drastic turn as families and their pets must wait longer and longer until boarding their flights. If the airport is usually busy throughout the year it is a catastrophe during the Super Bowl. One of the Hartsfield-Jackson Airports busiest time of the year is the Super Bowl. Delta is the official airline of the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee and were many enthusiastic football fans come from around the United States to come to Atlanta. The airport has put in all the stops for the game with football imagery and sound effects in all seven concourses with floor graphics and posters. Customers can also shop for football items from balls, hats, jackets, luggage sporting the Super Bowl logo.

Teams, the network, league and tens of thousands of fans are coming to fly through from Atlanta to the Big Game. It’s no wonder Airport congestion is at its highest during this time of year. Airport Congestion is the underdog of societal issues. Airport congestion is when airports are too packed with passengers and cargo and have delays in flights. So the cycle of congestion continues and continues building up more and more. This is a huge issue that not only affects the passengers, the employees but the economy as well. “Further, weight-related per-flight charges result in under-investment, whereas marginal cost pricing results in over-investment. Additionally, movement-related per-flight charges lead private airports to overinvest, whereas weight-related per-flight charges lead them to either over- or underinvestment” (Lin 2). Planes have to take into account how much luggage a flight will be carrying and how long the plane will be in the air. Airplane companies don’t want to pay too much but risk not paying enough for flights.  When airports are busy but are unable to expand the solution is higher airport charges but economic regulation does not allow this. That means airplane tickets have to increase instead which upsets passengers and the economy.

When visiting family members for spring break college students don’t want to worry about budgeting for a round trip but if airplane congestion keeps on occurring they will. People will have to pay more for flights because the airline companies have to pay more. When the nurse in Wisconsin calls telling you your grandmother is sick, you do not want to be trapped in an airport because your flight can’t take off yet. Airport congestion as mentioned before is a big societal issue but it is also a global issue as well.

Countries around the world face airport congestion in China, Japan France and so many more. This little issue can turn into anyone’s nightmare. Airport congestion is something no mother wants to sit through when her son needs a kidney donation in another state. Airport congestion is something an old married couple can’t even begin to comprehend when taking a trip to Italy for their anniversary. But airport congestion happens and when it does it is no easy fix. Planes are held up, people miss their flights, lives are at risks and yelling at the manager is the only solution for temporarily calming a passenger.

                                                                 Works Cited

Lin, Ming Hsin. “Airport Congestion and Capacity When Carriers Are Asymmetric.” International

          Journal of Industrial Organization, vol. 62, Jan. 2019, pp. 273–290. EBSCOhost,     

           doi:10.1016/j.ijindorg.2018.07.006.

Welcome to your brand new blog at sites@gsu.edu!

To get started, edit or delete this post and check out all the other options available to you.

For assistance, visit the comprehensive support site, check out the Edublogs User Guide guide or stop by The Edublogs Forums to chat with other edubloggers.

For personal support, you can attend Georgia State’s training on Edublogs or stop by The Exchange for one-on-one support.

You can also reference the free publication, The Edublogger, which is jammed with helpful tips, ideas and more.