I would suspect that "college degree required" in LA is code for "No Mexicans need apply."

I think the only people who think that the working class are losers are people who go to college with a "liberal arts ideal" and come out unable to earn a living--as I did. I remember having a work study job at the career services office at Berkely and watching all the kids line up to interview with, e.g., Big 8 (at the time) accounting firms. Resumes? How did they get those? However, college was a "track," and even after four years of temping and collecting short story rejection slips, I was still able to get into a top 20 (at the time) law school.

I would be very leery if a kid of mine didn't want to go to college unless he had garnered some significant work experience in a trade during high school. Even then, I would probably insist because education is valuable, and you can always decide to do what you want to do later. In high school, there were definitely the smoking area and auto shop types that we felt inhabited a different world from us, but I was never convinced that it was because they were not cut out for academics, college, etc. or simply were not encouraged to try.

If the idea catches on, perhaps the McDonald's corporation will create a similar experiment for rich white kids that offers outdated textbooks, underqualified teachers, am radio, candy and soda vending machines, and substandard cafeteria food.

And they shall call it public school.

Believe me, the soft bigotry of low expectations is alive and well in the suburbs.

I agree. It's cool with me if my kids want to be artists, or garbage men, or construction workers, or gymnastics coaches, or any number of jobs that don't have a degree. Yet I will still strongly encourage them to go to college. Extra knowledge and education can only benefit you. It will be much easier for them to acquire it early in life, rather than after they are already bogged down with careers.