re: He wants to know they aren't protesting the economic conditions in America

Taxpayers indirectly are responsible. We as a society decided about 30 years ago that we would accept cuts to higher education funding. The universities decided to make up the shortfall by expanding their financial aid offices and of course banks and the federal government helped to encourage it. As such you saw an explosion of student loans which drove up the price of tuition.

I remember in the mid and late 80's tuition for LSU was right under $900.00 for fulltime and the additional fees we were minimal. I could work a job from mid May to mid August and I could make more than enough to pay the load. No way you can do it today.