Sixty-one percent of Americans, both Democrats and Republicans, see higher education heading in the wrong direction.
According to a new Pew Research Center poll, 73 percent of Republicans and 52 percent of Democrats see colleges and universities going in the wrong direction.
Among Democrats, 61 percent of them between 18-to-34 years old say higher education is leaning in the wrong direction, with 48 percent of Democrats between 50-to-64 years old and 40 percent of those 65 and older.
Additionally, 92 percent of Democrats and 77 percent of Republicans said tuition costs are too high and 56 percent and 73 percent, respectively, said pupils aren’t attaining the skills necessary to thrive in the workplace.
However, the poll showed contrasts between the two parties on issues related to politics in the classroom and free speech on campus. Seventy-five percent of Republicans said there is too much concern about protecting students from ideas they may find repulsive, with only 31 percent of Democrats in agreement. Seventy-nine percent of Republicans and just 17 percent of Democrats take issue with professors inserting their social and political views in the classroom.
The Pew poll contrasts with study that a Columbia University professor released this month where 76 percent of those polled said higher education funding was “either an excellent or good investment.”
Last year, Pew conducted a similar study to this year’s which found that 58 percent of those who are or lean Republican said colleges are detrimental to the U.S., while 72 percent of those who are or lean Democratic said otherwise.
