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   Apparently, if kids today don’t get what they want, they cry.
   Protesters at college campuses across California say they are against budget cuts and rising tuition costs to cover the difference in the budget shortfall.
   The press coverage of the demonstrations is nation-wide, and the bill is adding up. Meanwhile, taxpayers who fund state schools are being asked to foot that bill as well.
   These protests are counterproductive. While they attract lots of press, they cost thousands. Classes are cancelled; campus and city security is increased, and taxpayers see college students as entitled brats.
   College is a time for maturing adults to explore their political power, but as a fellow student, I think these actions are pathetic.
   At UCLA, UC Berkley, and UC Santa Cruz protesters attracted heavy attention from the press and police, and helicopters hovered overhead to monitor the events. Students were arrested for charges like damaging property, threatening law enforcement, trespassing and creating a public nuisance. Classes had to be cancelled, and students who wanted to go to class instead of waste their time protesting were turned away. How much did that cost the state?
   Professors are joining in on the fun too, some even going as far as to require their to students protest or lose class credit. Where do they get off doing that? If a student is morally opposed to the protest, they should not be required to go and teachers should set a good example—not get arrested.
   Students are barricading themselves in classrooms and writing out lists of demands before they will agree to come out. This looks more like criminal behavior than a peaceful protest.
   If students want anything to be done, they should get together and put something on the ballot or work to persuade administrators to cut from the top, rather than lay off teachers and cut classes students need to graduate.
   State schools have different funds for construction, operations, etc. Money cannot be transferred from one fund to another. Why not change that? Most schools have millions in unused dollars for construction; meanwhile, operation budgets are sparse. If you want to get something done about the budget, work on changing that.
   Sitting in the middle of the street, blocking commuters for hours, is immature. That kind of behavior is childish, and if students want to be taken seriously, they need to face the fact that everyone is struggling, and everyone needs to do their part to pick up the slack.
   Education is a right up to the 12th grade, but college is a privilege. Half the point of college is learning to work hard and earn your place in society. If the state is in financial trouble, the schools will be too, it’s part of life. California has the cheapest tuition rates compared to the rest of the country, so quit complaining and be thankful for that.
   The conduct of these protesters is showing how society is shifting from hard-working adults to sniveling cry babies. It’s time to take a hard look at ourselves and realize it’s time to grow up.