Staff Blog: The Case for Community College

By Gillian Garaci, Campaign Organizer

Community college is typically seen as a lesser alternative to university education. Many people look down on those who choose to attend community college, especially those who choose it  as a pathway to higher education. This should not be our societal reaction. Community college is an integral part of our education system, not only is it a cheaper alternative to higher education but it provides a new start to students of different backgrounds, capabilities, and/or financial means. 

I attended my local community college, Los Medanos College (LMC), before transferring to UC Berkeley. Attending LMC was one of the best educational experiences I have had; I made amazing friends, learned from passionate professors, and participated in fulfilling organizations. Last month, while talking to a friend from LMC, I realized how lucky we are to have community college as an available resource. We both were able to transfer to UC Berkeley, and in her case graduate, without incurring the burden of a full four years of student loans. 

Without our stepping stone, attending a prestigious school like UC Berkeley might not have been a viable option. Because education is such a widely important factor for economic upward mobility, we realized how access to community college creates a massive impact on a person’s life. So many countries in the world don’t have a cheaper alternative to university education, yet in America we view it as something lesser. 

It is disheartening to see the Biden Administration’s withdrawal from its promises of free public community college. Once again, we have put community college on the backburner. Our community colleges break the financial barriers that come with the cost of higher education. They are welcoming environments for reentry students. They provide smaller classroom settings with more personal interactions. They give second chances to students who were unable or unwilling to prioritize their education. They do not deserve to be forgotten, quite the contrary, they need to be recognized for the aggregate good they create for so many students and members of our community. The barriers to higher education need to be reduced even more and our community colleges need to be free for all.

U.S. Education Secretary Cardona says “[it] would be a shame, because we’re so close to leveling the playing field for so many students.” It’s more than a shame, it’s disgraceful that we can’t prioritize students trying to make a better life for themselves with the resources available to them.