Each year, hundreds of billions of dollars are spent by the U.S. Federal government, citizens, foreigners, and state governments on higher education. These pursuits are noble and represent ways for people from all over the world to better themselves through learning, and to create opportunities for themselves by developing new skillsets. But not all institutions are equal, which can be a huge problem. As much as it may feel like it, the U.S. government spending isn’t as infinite as it might seem. A waste of taxpayer dollars is a tremendous issue as is the dishonesty of some institutions which harm students in the long run. By all accounts, the California Technical Academy seems to have failed everyone involved on all of these issues with allegations coming to light, and recently solidifying as charges. Related read: What Veteran Students Need To Know After Graduation

Why Did California Technical Academy Close?

It’s hard to completely verify why the California Technical Academy closed, but as the old saying goes, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” The California Technical Academy closure came right after an investigation of the school. Now, its leaders are not only facing charges but the reality of having to serve time. The sad thing is that a quick glance will show that the California Technical Academy reviews ranged from typically decent to on the better side of things. However, it’s important to remember that the private, for-profit school also had different campuses, such as California Technical Academy San Diego and California Technical Academy Escondido. At the end of the day, we all have choices to do right or wrong, and considering leadership has been involved in GI bill fraud, creating immediate issues for students and staff, it's potentially obvious what the administration chose along that spectrum. Now, Michael Bostock, Eric Bostock, and Philip Abod are all set to serve time. Suggested read: The Veteran's Complete Guide to GI Bill Benefits

Michael Bostock, Eric Bostock, and Philip Abod Face Their Fates

There are many ways to make history and some are better than others. Michael Bostock is learning this the hard way as the California Technical Academy news cycle is confirming the leaders of the school have run up the tab to $105 million in Post-9/11 GI Bill fraud. Now, Michael is facing five years in prison for his role in the fraud case which has been under investigation by both the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) along with the Justice Department. At the core of the scandal are falsified numbers reported for enrollment, courses completed, students being impersonated, and even providing fake numbers for Veterans to keep regulatory bodies at bay and from uncovering the scam. For over a decade, the California Technical Academy received $32 million in tuition payments for 1,793 Veteran students, while Veterans in CTA's VA-approved courses received $72 million in education-related benefits. The for-profit school has since closed and the officials pleaded guilty to fraud.

California Technical Academy’s Fraud Affected More Than Government Spending

Related: Use Your GI Bill Benefits at the American Military University According to the U.S. Department of Education, the Riverside campus alone had 385 undergraduate students when the data was last recorded. Considering this information only represents a small portion of the student population that was attending or went to the campuses, it’s important to remember that they too were affected by the scandal. For those that were attending a program during the time of the closures, the scandal is an injustice. Life isn’t fair and higher education can be an appropriate place to learn this harsh lesson, but there’s a difference between growing pains and being put in a difficult position because of the mistakes of fraudsters. Students were left in the dark without direction, at a crossroads with their education even after doing everything right. That perpetrators managed to create this situation in the first place is a slap in the face of the education system as a whole. Additionally, it remains to be seen how the GI Bill fraud scandal affects how others view accolades from California Technical Academy as a result. Even if unfair, it may bias graduates of the school for rejection. Both scenarios directly affect the military community and none of it is acceptable to the ongoing success of U.S. troops, in or out of the military. Hopefully, the consequences will serve as an example that will prevent others from targeting the GI Bill in scams of their own. Read next: Do I Use My GI Bill for Dependents or Myself? What To Consider