Less than a year after Diddy's son, Justin Combs, committed to play football at UCLA, state taxpayers are calling on the well-heeled freshman to turn over his $54,000 scholarship to students who need it more.
In an interview with CNN, education contributor Dr. Steve Perry defended Combs' merit-based scholarship, saying he earned it fair and square. At the Upstate New York prep school where Combs recently graduated, he maintained a 3.75 GPA while playing cornerback for the football team.
"He's done what he needs to do to be successful and in 'Ameritocracy' we have to accept that no matter who your father is, whether he be rich, poor or absent, that you can in fact be successful on your own merit," Perry said.
There's no denying Diddy can afford to send his son to college. The entertainment mogul was recently named the wealthiest artist in hip hop by Forbes Magazine, so far earning $45 million in 2012.
But as Perry pointed out, Combs' scholarship is awarded to student athletes specifically and isn't exactly a free ticket to a four-year picnic. Combs will be required to train 40 hours per week as well as attend classes full-time.
That's not to say parents don't have a reason to get worked up about the high cost of college these days. The average tuition rate is around $50,000 per year and the trillion-dollar student loan bubble's all but crippled millions of graduates.
UCLA became a focal point in the Occupy Wall Street protests, with students rallying against planned 16 percent tuition fee hikes. In April, the school was forced to clawback $27 million in financial aid accidentally deposited into students' accounts.
Combs has made no announcement regarding plans to give back the scholarship.
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