Common Core State Standard L.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: Video of a current news event is presented for discussion to encourage student participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the video. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.
11/16/2015
Students Nationwide Protest For Free Tuition, Debt Forgiveness
College students across the nation are protesting for more affordable education. The movement is called Million Student March, and protesters have three demands: free tuition for everyone, forgiven student loan debt and a $15 minimum wage for campus workers. The group's name and goals are at least partially inspired by a statement made by presidential candidate Bernie Sanders: "If a million young people march on Washington . . . that’s when it will happen."
■Class discussion: What is the average annual cost of college tuition in the United States? How has it changed in the last generation? How much do Americans owe in student loan debt? Why have tuitions risen? What would it cost to offer free tuition and cancel student loan debt in the United States? How could we pay for it? What nations have free college tuition? How do they pay for it? How would better educated workers affect the economy? How did free tuition for World War II veterans impact the U.S. economy?