Banks have hidden fees and statements they charge, a customer gets angry because he didn't think about all the long term effects and how much it could cost him. Providing free education is like paying hidden fees and bank statements. Sure, this sounds great in theory, but how much is the American public willing to sacrifice and pay to benefit from this “free” education? More taxes? Less choice? More public spending? More public debt? These are long-term effects that the general public will pay for, these are hidden costs. The U.S. government should not pay for two years of tuition for every citizen who graduates from an American high school. The US government's debt is already in the trillions and owed to other countries, the K-12 public education system is still disastrous, not to mention what universities would do if the government gave up education; This could not be a good recipe for “free” education. The public education system is already terrible, run by the government, and its impact on higher education could be catastrophic. The only reason high school matters for most kids in the United States today is to be able to get into a better college, which makes elementary and middle school relevant. Private school children are preferred by colleges because they provide a healthier education. The United States cannot compete with private education; they do not offer specialized learning. They direct each child to the same program, regardless of the difficulty for the child, making each student the same. Most kids can't do anything in school and still do well on partisan standardized tests, which test a child's memorization skills and nothing...... middle of paper...... be immediately fired due to the fact that the United States cannot afford, manage or care for it. Additionally, it would hinder progress and success by completely eliminating competition, no one would try if they knew it was given to them. How many “hidden fees” is the United States willing to pay? Is this the duty of taxpayers? The quality of education would fall with employers' chances of hiring someone who specializes in a field. There are too many reasons not to give up on American education, too many reasons not to earn it and make it what it is worth today. Works Cited Cusumano, Michael A. "Are the Costs of 'Free' Education Too High in Online Education?." Communications of the ACM 56.4 (2013): 26-29. Academic research completed. Internet. July 13, 2013. Kay, Magdalena. “A new course”. American Scholar 82.2 (2013): 36-43. Academic research completed. Internet. July 13 2013.