News coverage of the “protests” at our “elite” universities is focused mainly on downplaying, even justifying, rallies for terrorists and antisemitism, the DNA of such events. It would appear elitism now consists of academic and financial fraud as schools such as Columbia have canceled in-person classes for the remainder of the semester, relying instead on Zoom classes, the Covid “distance learning” alternative produces no learning, distance or otherwise. I suffered through that the final semester before I retired. I knew I was defrauding the public. Everyone knew it, but we had no choice. Our “elite” universities are choosing to defraud their students in favor of Marxist radicals. 

Unsurprisingly, many students are demanding tuition refunds, which considering they’re paying around $100,000 a year, seems more than reasonable.

Graphic: X Screenshot

Instapundit’s Glenn Reynolds suggests students, particularly Jewish students, ought to attend college in the South: 

My advice to Jewish students at these institutions: Come on down. At schools like mine, the University of Tennessee, in red states, such intimidation, harassment and lawlessness aren’t tolerated. 

As Jason Aldean noted, “try that in a small town.”

In the red states, support for Israel isn’t controversial. In our allegedly elite northeastern and California universities it can get you mobbed.

People are friendly, and many of these schools have a lively Jewish presence and would welcome more. Maybe the degrees aren’t from Columbia, but the way things are going, is that so bad?

Reynolds oversells Columbia even in its current debased state. Getting a degree elsewhere is not only not so bad, it’s better.

And amenities aside, most important, you won’t be surrounded by people who hate Jews, people who are enabled, if not encouraged, by university administrations dependent on the full-tuition revenues of hate-filled foreign students and their governments. (If foreign money is corrupting our universities to this extent, maybe we should shut it off.)

Students of all backgrounds really need to go to college anywhere but the coasts. States like Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana and others—OK, Minnesota is a lost cause--offer genuine education rather than ephemeral, self-imagined elite, credentials. There is a world of difference between getting an education and attending an “ivy league” school.

There is little question many faculty, even in non-coastal colleges, are woke or lean that way, but there remain many institutions of higher learning that remain dedicated to just that: learning rather than social, political or sexual indoctrination. Such colleges don’t have time or the inclination to indulge protests and similar nonsense. Administrators expect teachers to teach, teachers expect students to be present for every class, and everyone expects students to demonstrate what they’ve learned. Most importantly, the public demands that of the colleges their tax dollars support.

When I took my undergraduate degree in English and Music back in the 80s, I spent only about $10,000 in tuition and book expenses at my South Dakota state college. True, I managed the degree in 2.5 years by taking 22 credits per semester and every summer and interim course I could manage, and there were gas, food and other expenses, but even then, my degree cost a small fraction of the degrees granted by socialist hell holes like Columbia.  Fast forward to 2024 and I would surely have to spend far more for a degree, but the difference in cost, and experience, would remain stark.

In “elite” schools, students commonly attend classes with hundreds of students taught by graduate assistants. Full professors, who might drop by on occasion, are occupied elsewhere, and are often so busy professing CRT and DEI lunacy, students are unknowingly grateful they’re not around. In Flyover Country state colleges, it’s common to have small classes—20 or so—taught by full professors, people who know their discipline and know and care about their students.

In the real world, businesses welcome state college graduates because they know things and can do things. That, not an Ivy League credential, matters. Such institutions are so devaluing their own degrees, businesses are increasingly dropping degree requirements and refusing to hire from the Ivy League. We’ve had our fling with DEI (Didn’t Earn It). Merit matters when performance generates profit and profit prevents bankruptcy.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of avoiding the coasts is avoiding the unearned arrogance of the self-imagined elite, and their hateful prejudices. Flyover Country folks tend to be friendly, kind and helpful. They’re busy making a living and taking care of their families. They don’t have time, nor the inclination, to hate anyone. Leave them alone, and they’re happy to leave you alone, though they’re quick to pitch in if you need help.

Prof. Reynolds is right. Go west, young student. You’ll get a degree, an actual education, and find lifelong friends and American values.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.