State Senate Wants College Budget Cuts in Florida

With budget cuts close enough to kiss, forgive me for my prudence.

As a prospective doctoral applicant, I’m both embarrassed and outraged knowing that our senators would push to limit Florida’s intellectual progression. By cutting collegiate budgets you seriously sever the opportunities, growth and gains of our union. We whimper with each state that surpasses us scholastically, yet we jump at the opportunity to impede our own academic advancements. A deficit in our education is a deficit in our community. Higher learning is the ladder to a better future and those who threaten it, do so without regard for our state’s well-being.

Florida is more than sun, fun and Disney financed fairy tales. We’re the 20th largest GDP in the world. As a single state we surpass the economies of entire nations; and it’s only more reason to reinvest in our sustenance. Don’t allow migrant working orange farms to be the symbol of our future, instead boast on our intellect and empower intelligence to triumph and flourish in all of Florida. Let the minds of our youth be the fruit that feeds our economy.

Though young, I will not remain muted to injustice and public overspending for private fiscal gains. Stop crippling our schools and start starving out the political gluttony that originally led our budget to falter. Greed should bear the weight of our financial deficit, not education. An investment in academics is one that pays dividends.

Senators I plead to you, do not cut the hand that holds forthcoming success. But hold that hand for a moment and let it lead our state to prosperity. You’ve made a commitment to better our economy and we’re expecting you to do so. The path to economic progress is through education–there are no shortcuts–don’t let there be budget cuts.

This was originally published on 2/25/2012 by the Sun Sentinel.