The education crisis in Illinois goes deeper than just budgetary concerns.

Panelists at “The Illinois Budget Crisis and the Future of Education” expressed concerns about how the general public values education on all levels.

“Independent of the most recent catalyst, the recession, the most critical thing to understand is that higher education is the last thing to get invested in,” said President Bill Perry.

Perry represented higher education at the forum.

Joy Russell, professor of elementary/mid-level/secondary education, represented elementary and secondary education. Eric Wilbur, student body executive vice president, represented student opinion. Mathematics professor Charles Delman and political science professor Richard Wandling rounded out the panel and offered insight into the realities of the situation.

Elementary and secondary education is being affected by funding cuts, resulting in more than 20,000 teaching jobs being cut in Illinois public schools next year.

“What that means is, if there are fewer teachers, there will be larger class sizes,” Russell said.

Wandling pointed to several websites to provide information about the current economic situation of Illinois.

The Institute of Government and Public Affairs, based at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, offers research and educational information regarding public policy issues. Their website can be found here.

The Center on Tax and Budget Accountability’s website offers bi-partisan information on progressive tax and economic policies.

“There are a number of organizations that we can use to get information on the health of the Illinois budget, though it’s not very healthy,” Wandling said. “Regardless of the organization you go to, you’re going to see problems identified.”

Wandling and Delman both said they believe in amending the Illinois constitution to allow for a graduated income tax.

“In the long-term, I think we need to establish a graduated income tax in the state of Illinois,” Delman said. “A flat tax doesn’t work in a highly unequal society, and you can’t build a more equal society with a flat tax.”

Delman said he also supports House Bill 174, which would raise income taxes by 1 percent to fund education.

Wilbur warned that the legislature could decide to take the money HB 174 would generate back out of the fund at any time.

“The legislature can take away what it just gave,” Wilbur said.

In 2007, Eastern’s budget began to rely on revenue from tuition and fees more than state general revenue payments, which all panelists agreed will make higher education a much more difficult goal for low-income students.

“We are now not a state-funded institution, we are now a state-supported institution, and that scares me,” Wilbur said. “It will be based on how much money you have, not your educational merit.”

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected].