The striking students

Re: “Concordia tuition-hike protest a real yawner” (Gazette, Feb. 28).

I recently graduated from Mcgill University and a three-year technical program at CEGEP before that. I’m finding it hard to sympathize with the student strikes.

There was one rule at home: pay your own tuition. Education beyond high school was optional, but encouraged for its obvious benefits.

I paid my entire schooling on my own, working, without loans. How? Budgeting – a crucial skill to have in life. I worked for minimum wage.

My laptop was useful, but I didn’t need a $1,200 Apple computer. I bought myself a $500 laptop. I don’t see how students justify splurging on Ugg boots, iphones and Canada Goose jackets when they’re “unable” to pay for a decent education. I’ve had several friends who took out $10,000 student loans to buy that expensive laptop as well as a used car.

I acknowledge that the needs of people greatly vary. However, this tuition hike is reasonable. The money you get back in the long run far exceeds the cost of tuition. What would they rather pay, high prices now or high education taxes for the rest of their lives? Emilie Church

Dorval

Protesters should be prepared to fail their semesters. No extensions.

As for the chaos this would supposedly cause when new students want to enter programs that protesting students haven’t graduated from, the protesting students should be accepted last, and only if there’s room. Welcome to the real world, where you make a choice and live with the consequences of your choice.

CEGEPS and universities must remain open and accessible, because teachers have a right to continue teaching and non-protesting students have a right to continue learning. Protesters have absolutely no right to prevent or hinder the normal academic activities of CEGEPS or universities.

Schools that close their doors and/or teachers who refuse to enter schools to teach should be penalized. Lorraine Hodgson

Montreal

Re: “Most students don’t back the protesters” (Opinion, Feb. 29).

Alex Woznica is clearly drinking the government’s Kool-aid. Quebec, more than any other Canadian province, is a social democracy: you went to work and paid for my health care and education, now I go to work and pay for your health care and pension. And since no one is planning to lower taxes any time soon, we students will be keeping up our end of the bargain. We only expect the same good faith from other members of society.

In other words, it doesn’t matter whether tuition hikes are “reasonable.” Any private payment for education weakens the social contract that obliges my generation to pay for previous and future generations. Therefore, education should be free. That is the premise of these strikes.

Woznica claims that the tuition hikes “will bring provincial tuition back to 1968 levels, adjusted to inflation.” In 1970, the Quebec Pension Plan topped out at $320 per month (adjusted to inflation) for someone retiring at age 65, compared with a maximum of $935 today. When Quebecers agree to go back to 1968 pension payouts, I shall agree to go back to 1968 tuition levels.

Woznica also claims that we “will still be paying some 30 per cent less than students in the rest of the country.” What he fails to mention is that our provincial income-tax rates are much higher than those in other provinces. Every dollar invested in education pays dividends to the government in the form of increased tax income stemming from greater individual earnings.

It’s basic capitalism: if the Quebec government wishes to take such a big share of my profits, it had better invest early.

Finally, Woznica claims that most students oppose the strikes. What he means is that, like most Canadians, students in Quebec are apathetic and do not expect to be able to effect much change. Any political decision can be reversed given enough public pressure. The fact remains that these student representatives were elected and strike mandates voted on, all democratically. In a democracy, the results of a vote are binding on all members, even those who abstain. If students are unhappy and if they do truly oppose the strike, all they have to do is vote.

Jordan Black Concordia University

Montreal

I would like to thank Alex Woznica for bringing a rational, reasoned argument to the issue of the student strikes. There has been too much drum-beating and chest-thumping over this. Quebec students need to realize that university education is something that should be earned, through both study and working to earn the money to pay. David Bamatter

Montreal

The Dawson Student Union (so obviously in favour of a walkout) is doing all it can to ensure the vote goes the way it wants. While there are students in the school from 8 a.m., the voting is to take place at 5 p.m. For many students it is impossible to be there, my daughter and many of her friends included. How is it that they are not being allowed a voice?

I do not understand how the students of today can feel that they are being taken advantage of. Do they not see how little we pay in tuition, compared with other provinces? Maybe they should spend a little less on their cellphones and partying.

As a parent I have to say the blame lies partially with us. We want our kids to have everything, but we are really not teaching them the value and privilege of having everything. Mary Sabelli

Lasalle