Joseph:
Tzadikim yes, but emulate?
I will argue (you may disagree) that I would rather emulate the person who works a full day, and still gets 4-6 hours of learning in per day (I wish I could).
As per boosting their ranks, I do so, but the kollel I help support has tests!
As per everything else, the risk/reward chesbon is beyond me, but here is some of the calculation: If by supporting ‘x’ kollel families by giving them tution breaks we cause ‘y’ husbands who are working to work longer and cut back on their learning to pay tuition, ‘z’ shalom bayis problems due to money, and ‘x+y’ women in the workplace (both kollel families and working struggling to pay tuition), causing those mothers not to be able to give proper hashpaa to their children, is it worth it?
More so, shouldn’t the working parents also be able to have a say in the balance they feel is best in their family, instead of involuntarily supporting Kollel men who may be better off working, and allowing the working men to learn?
You are going to tell me the “Roshei Yeshiva” said we should expand Kollelim, but in the USA (NOT E”Y!), the cheshbon is simple, and there is no clear-cut point at which anyone is willing to say enough, even if they thought they should (part of people’s disrespect for Rabbonim, they will just continue even if they are told no).
This is all assuming Kollel men can support their families by working, which I have pointed out earlier in this thread that many can not if they go to work.