“As the only governor in Illinois history to have graduated from a public university in Illinois, I’m particularly proud of that,” Edgar said during Thursday's event in Carbondale. Edgar spoke about the challenges facing the state’s higher education system. “Our public education system has always been a cornerstone of opportunity, and yet it doesn’t get the priority in Springfield that it should,” Edgar said.
Edgar spoke personally, recalling his time in office when Illinois was considered one of the top states for its higher education system. “One of the best things we had going for us in Illinois in the '90s was our higher education system. It was one of the best in the nation,” Edgar said.
“We had world-class universities, great community colleges and a solid financial assistance program.” According to the former governor, that’s not the case today. “We’ve seen a decline in funding, and it’s hurting our students, our institutions, and ultimately, our state’s future,” Edgar said.
One of the major themes of Edgar’s speech was the disparity between funding for elementary and secondary education and that for higher education. Edgar says elementary and secondary education often get the lion’s share of attention and funding in Springfield, often because of the powerful teachers’ unions. “The big issue is that elementary and secondary education receive increases every year because the teachers’ unions really fight for them,” Edgar sai.