It is difficult to argue with the proposition that access to higher education in the United States is essentially based on class. Despite the fact that there has been a commitment on the part of the states and the federal government to provide access to a higher education for all eligible students, the truth is that "public higher education is no longer an engine of opportunity." The expansion of public colleges and universities and particularly community colleges after World War II was supposed to make a difference in providing access to all citizens. In this article, the author examines the contradictory role of community college historically, reflecting its function in preserving the American class system.