Showtime believes that Justin Combs should be treated the same as any other young man who worked his butt off to do well in school and excel in sports.
Originally appeared at The Single Fathers Blog
Everyone knows that Sean “Diddy” Combs is one of the entertainment industry’s richest super stars. Diddy is worth about $500 million right now. That is A LOT of money, probably more that what most of us will ever see in our lifetime. Well, some folks seem to be outraged that Diddy’s son Justin has accepted a full merit based scholarship to UCLA.
Justin is a student athlete who finished his senior year with a 3.75GPA and some pretty impressive accomplishments on the grid iron.
Because of his hard work and dedication Justin was given a scholarship worth about $54,000 to attend UCLA and play for their football team.
Since Justin’s father is loaded with money, some people think that he should not accept the scholarship and just allow his father to pay for his education. Critics claim that Justin doesn’t need a free ride to college simply because of what is in his dad’s bank account. The tuition at UCLA has almost tripled in the last 10 years and many California state schools are facing budget cuts. Understandably, a lot of parents are worried about how they are going to pay their child’s tuition.
I understand that Diddy has more money than the average parent, but what kind of example are we setting for our kids if we tell them that they don’t have to work for anything because their parents will take care of everything. If Justin is preparing for college, shouldn’t he be getting to a phase in his life where he is becoming more dependent on his own actions and focusing less on what his father has to give him?
If any student is successful in school, stays out of trouble, and is an asset to college’s sports program, why shouldn’t they be rewarded? I think it would send a horrible message if we tell him that he doesn’t need to worry about working hard because his dad is going to take care of everything for him. This is the time when he should be preparing for the real world. If he is going to be a productive citizen as an adult I think that we need to let him decide what is best for him. If he were to decide that he would decline the scholarship because of his own reasons I would respect that . But, I don’t think it is something that is worth discussing if he decides that he is going to take the scholarship, step out on his own and spread his wings and began to come from behind his father’s shadow as all young men should.
DO YOU THINK THAT JUSTIN COMBS SHOULD DECLINE THE SCHOLARSHIP TO UCLA?
Photo: Twitter
This is not a need-based scholarship, but a merit-based scholarship. I question why the education system grants scholarships for athletic skills in the first place, but that’s the way the scholarship defined “merit” in this case.
Besides, papa Combs is under NO obligation to pay for his son’s college education. Father and son are two distinct people. Senior’s money is his own, not anyone else’s.
Have the kid take the scholarship, college is very expensive these days!! If he’s good academically and on the football field more power to him! Now if I were Mr. Diddy, I would maybe donate into the school – maybe for another person to have a scholarship. It would be a nice tax write for Diddy and looks good in the end!
Has anyone thought that there may be more to this? Perhaps, UCLA offered up the scholarship in the hopes that Diddy and his son will choose the school based on that and make a return on their investment by a nice chunky donation diddy style!! Just a thought..
No, He earned his scholarship (which is guaranteed as long as his coach can stand him). UCLA has more money than Diddy anyway
Not suprised that the arguments against Justin taking the scholarship are based on the idea of fairness. He shouldn’t have to bum off his father just because people want so desperately for things to be “fair”. To the ideas that Diddy should give some money to the school or someone wanting to go to college: REALLY ? No one is entitled to this man’s money, he’s earned every cent and just because he has it doesn’t mean he has to give it away to anyone with their hands out. I find it funny that the same people who are FOR… Read more »
Personally, if I were Diddy, I would encourage my son to take the scholarship because he earned it. Then I would secretly donate some money to UCLA and just not tell anyone. It’s not anyone’s business anyway, but our UC schools are struggling and they could use that money to put someone else through as well.
Certainly he has no obligation, it’s just what I would do. If we don’t hear about him donating certainly doesn’t mean he didn’t do it.
Agreed. He has a scholarship based on his accomplishments as student-athlete. It’s a merit scholarship for a reason.
No way, he clearly earned it. I wish I’d tried as hard as he is.