No NASA should respond with "Yes it's real and we need $1 trillion in funding to determine how to stop it" and then spend that on real research.

From a Physicist's point of view, who ever publishes their paper about finding the Higgs first is going to be the one who is remembered an the one who would be a good candidate for a noble prize. Also the Fermilab physicists think that if they can find the Higgs they could get more funding for continued operation of the Tevatron.

The parents and everyone who pays taxes pay for the students to learn.