13 August 2011

Free money for those who didn't earn it


From the Cop side: Many, many, many years ago, before I became a Cop, I went to Kollege to get me an ed you ma kation.  I was only able to obtain this enlightenment because I had spent a few years in the service of Uncle Sam in the US Army. 

My dee gree was in what they call the Administration of Justice…which sounds pretty cool unless you knew the real reason I went to college and chose this program.  My buddies from High School, who stayed home while I went off to Germany, told me all about this program.  They said the classes were pretty easy and you learned cop stuff.  Sounded cool to me.

Out of the four of us in that old group, I am the only one who ended up getting a degree and the only one who went into Police work.

But really none of that is what I decided to write about today---this was just some background info to give some kind of credit to what I used to think about crime and society….which was somewhat changed over 32 years.

What I was told in school was that in our society, “most” of the population is good.  This is true.  What cops have done for years is spend about 90 % of their time when dealing with true crime that was caused by 5 to 10% of the population.  I know some days it seemed like I only saw the worst of society…and took them to jail when required. 

However, in the last few years, I found that some of these numbers have changed in some places.  These are places where there is economical problems…sometimes not because there are few jobs, but because there are few people who want to work.  Why should they?  They can sit on their ass in the apartments that are either free or low rent.  They are handed free money and food stamps.  They can sleep until noon, then get up and go look for something to drink or smoke and steal….why on earth would they want to work? 

Then one thing I saw happening…is recruiters from the local community colleges would go into these neighborhoods (after noon of course) and tell these people about how they can get more free money by going to college.  The recruiters may have been trying to help these bums get off their ass and get an education and perhaps learn a skill so they could get a better job…but in so many cases all the welfare bums heard was “….sign up for so many units and you can get state/federal aid for free.” 

I am not making this shit up.  I talked to the folks who worked in the admissions offices and the offices where they gave out the finical aide…even they, who were very liberal were complaining that these bums were coming in and demanding the money.  They were told to go sign up for classes, and walked over to the admissions folks and “demanded” that they sign them up for however many classes they need to get the free money---that they were entitled to. 

The admissions folks would try to explain that the student had to figure out what classes they wanted and qualified for…and the welfare bums would just say: “put me in any class I can get into so I can get my money.”

For this college I’m talking about, they typically had about 10 workers to process “free money” for students.  At the same college to process the paperwork for the Veterans, they had ONE person.  The Vets had to talk to a class counselor, set up a specific program and take classes and PASS them, or they go cut off.  So the vet’s paperwork had to flow through ONE person, then hopefully all was filled out right and then get sent to the VA office in the area…and hope the person processing it was doing the right thing…and IF everything worked out right and the stars aligned the right way, the Vet would get their EARNED school assistance money before the semester was over.  In many cases, they waited months to get the money they had EARNED.

Meanwhile, the welfare bums wake up at noon, show up the 3rd or 4th day of the semester and demand somebody fill out all the paperwork and give them money that they never earned. 

That’s your tax dollars being spent at California Community Colleges….  I worked everyday of my life from the age of 16...and many times I worked more than one full time job. 

Edit update: What I forget to say in the first posting of this was: Most of these bums who showed up for free education money only went to class the first few weeks of the semester.  Once they were "locked in" to being paid, they stopped going to class---but still got paid.  They could typically get away with this for 2 semesters, then get cut off.  A typical Vet going to college on the GI bill got paid late and if they didn't show up for class, they not only got cut off, but had to pay back the money.

6 comments:

el chupacabra said...

When I went to college in Tennessee in the city I lived a businessman had established a scholarship fund for 'at risk', deserving, inner city people (or whatever the criteria was- I'm sure it something similar).
They were called Something Something Scholars.
You could always tell them- they smelled like weed and beer and seemed as puzzled as everyone else why they were there.
Multiple ones confirmed to us the pretty tidy sum they received as a stipend plus their costs.
You would see them stagger around a couple of weeks then they'd disapear forever.
When my money for school ran out (in spite of the fact I worked nearly full time) I slept on friends couches and yes- in my car.

Unknown said...

Those federal dollars might go somewhere else if there's no demand for the programs. Can't let that money slip away.

anon said...

Oh Crap. I thought the post title was an offer so I came by to sign up for my free money....

Guess not, huh?

CI-Roller Dude said...

I don't know why I went into the Army for school benifits...I could have just stayed home and smoked weed and drank...and got free money.

lorraine said...

This is a real drag I know. I was one who used every bit of "free money" I could get my hand on - + worked at any job I could to raise 3 kids and go to school to become a RN and give my boys a better life or at least food. There were more than a few of us doing this. It was a grueling program but I made it - I was 40 when I started &45 when I finished my associates degree (50 for the BSN) it was worth it. To my boys I'm their hero and have been able to give them a much better life but best of all I love being a nurse. I hate to see the loosers getting $ and souring it for those who really can/will make use of the benefit. They have cut so many classes that kids who want to get in can't get schedules. The Vets with all the other shit are also faced with the same problem - no classes available and hurdles for the $. So what is the solution? We need education but we also need jobs to support the tax structure. A call center worker in India isn't going to pay into my SS fund and the free loaders will eventually end up behind bars where we will have to support them any way - it's all f*cked up any way one looks at it. Got any answers? Run for office - I'll vote 4 you. I'm glad you keep writing - I love your stories and writing. Enjoy that little girl you got - she's a beauty. Good thing you have lethal means of defense - you'll need it later.

CI-Roller Dude said...

L,
I "think" the idea of gov assistance going to college is to help people who need it--- so they can get an education and then get a better job...then pay back in taxes what they were given...

My bitch is about the few who just live on the welfare system and feel they should be given everything they want and they will never get a job.