Democracy is more about fairness of opportunity than equality of accomplishment. Every U.S. citizen has a right to use public facilities, attend public schools, pursue a chosen career, and vote for governance. Beyond that, life’s outcome is mainly a reflection of personal ability, initiative, desire, competitiveness and opportunism. We’re in the “land of the free and home of the brave.” In surveying the current scene of lawlessness and insurrection, we must ask whether individual expectations have been set too high. Has the notion of college-level education as the key to career success caused a combination of institutional loss of curricular cohesion and student focus on academic progression rather than career preparation? Is the educational establishment producing a preponderance of diverse specialty diplomas rather than scholars distinguished by skills in research, analysis, conclusion and communication? Why has the link between higher education and gainful employment become so challenging? Is massive academic-loan forgiveness at taxpayer expense a fair remedy for educational system shortcomings and inflated student expectations? Shouldn’t consumer refunds for defective products and services be the responsibility of the provider? Are massive scholastic endowments to remain untapped while individual taxpayers pick up part of the tab for poor quality? Phil Osifer