<p>I think that CCs need the respect and the funding, and the two are intertwined. As long as that is where too many kids go because they were academically deficient for other choices (and yes, cost is often an issue here too) it becomes a catch phrase for insults. The problem is that such insults are often true. Some community colleges are run terribly, the standards in academic is low and there is no concerted effort to make it a truly good alternative to other colleges, but a last ditch alternative.</p>