AS TRUMP'S SHUTDOWN CONTINUES, LOCAL CASUALTIES; TSC ASSURES STUDENTS THEY WILL NOT GET DROPPED

"So, I will take the mantle," Trump said in December during a meeting with Democrats. "I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it."
By Juan Montoya

He works as a waiter in a local well-known restaurant and is a student in a local school (Texas Southmost College).

He is young, and the innocence and the optimism of youth is reflected in his face.

This January, with only two days to go before the Spring semester begins, he was ready to pay for his tuition with a combination of grants and loans and with his part-time work.

But then came Trump's Shutdown of the government, and now he's been told by the college that the promised government assistance might be there.

"I have until the 18th of this month to pay for my tuition," he said as he removed the dishes from the table Tuesday. "If the government remain shutdown, I have to come up with $900 from somewhere if I want to continue in school."

For many local students, getting a crack at an education is a one-time deal. If you don't grab the brass ring now, the chance may never return. He know this very well and tells a customer he is working to get an education because it's the only way to get a future.

"Today, education is everything," he said. "Without it, there's nothing."

Upon hearing the student's predicament, TSC trustee Ruben Herrera assured the college's students that the board has committed to work with them and that all the program funding and grants are in place to insure that no students get shut out of attending classes.

"All of TSC's program funding is in place, including Pell grants and loans," he said. "In case that some students don't get the funding from the government they were expecting, TSC will defer tuition payments until the shutdown is over. We will not drop any students because of that. All our administrators know that and concerned students should get in touch with counselors to make sure they attend classes."

Polls say that the majority of the American people have taken Trump at his word and made the shutdown his, with most of the blame for it placed on Trump (55%) over the Democrats in Congress (32%).

This may come as some consolation for the Democrats and chagrin for Republicans, but for the student tending tables who is caught in the middle of the political fray that has shut down the government who is collecting taxes from his meager check and tips, it is meaningless.

"I will work another job if I have to," he says, resolutely. "But one way or another I'm going to finish my education."