Higher education should be accessible to all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background.

This is because a democratic society needs informed citizens capable of critical inquiry and civic cooperation in order to solve its most pressing problems. In higher education, tuition and fees at our public colleges and universities continue to increase astronomically year after year, making earning a degree out of reach for millions of students from working class families. Millions of Americans who already went to college are burdened by student debt.

Right wing bigots and anti-democracy billionaires have been attacking all levels of public education. Public universities face constant attacks on their funding because they help democratize society and reduce racist attitudes, while allowing people of color to advance economically. Pre-K-12 education is attacked for teaching accurate history about racial injustice. Segregationists continue to push back against any efforts to fund our schools fairly. Our disabled students are mocked and their resources are being cut down to nothing. Even our public libraries face hateful attacks for being spaces where queer kids and kids of color can learn about themselves.

We need the largest reinvestment in our students and their families in decades. We also need immediate relief for people who already went to college and have student debt. That’s why I will fight not only for public colleges and community colleges to be tuition-free but also to provide relief for those who are shackled by student debt.We need a massive infusion of federal funds in training and supporting our teachers and librarians. We need investment in free school meals, and wrap around services - including disability services - so every student can come to school ready to learn. We need a deep commitment to supporting continuing education through our libraries to support a robust democracy. We need to defend inclusive education, stop book bans, and make sure every student. 

It’s time for the United States to join most of the developed world in treating higher education as a public good, not a commodity.