I've always been in the mind set that if you go to college you at least certain to get a job after that will put food on the table every night but after reading this article from the NY times, my perception has completely changed. This article gives two shocking examples of people who have gotten a college degree but can barely afford food to eat because the minimum wage is so low.
Landon Howard is a graduate from University of Tennessee four years ago who obtained a bachelor's degree in social work but could not find a job. He currently works as a prep cook at the Tupelo Honey Cafe. He is only scheduled about 20 hours a week making $9.50 an hour. He only brings home about $200 a week and had to move back in with his parents.
According to John Schmitt of the Center of Economic Policy Research,“Minimum-wage and low-wage workers are older and more educated than 10 or 20 years ago, yet they’re making wages below where they were 10 or 20 years ago after inflation." So even though people 20 years ago were working the same job as Landon Howard graduate of University of Tennessee, they were making more money often without a college education much less a degree.
What do you think? Should the minimum wage be raised in America? Would this solve problems for Americans like Landon Howard?
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