Does The Education Level Of State Legislators Matter?
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - James Madison believed that elected officials should "refine and enlarge the public views," making the case for college educated representatives. In 1776, John Adams wrote that the assembly should reflect the people at large - giving the advantage to the 70% of Americans without bachelor's degrees.
A survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education shows that many state representatives provide no record of college and that 75% of state legislators who have gone to college have attended at least one institution in their home states.
Many go beyond bachelor's degrees: Pennsylvania has more than 37% with advanced degrees; New Jersey more than 58% and Delaware with just more than 32%.
Does more education make one a better legislator? Who knows! However, if you have more years of education, perhaps you value it more and will acknowledge the importance of funding for higher ed!
Reported By Dr. Marciene Mattleman, KYW Newsradio
