Pubdate: Thu, 11 Apr 2002
Source: Daily Republic, The (SD)
Copyright: 2002 Forum Communications Company
Contact:  http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1320

OTHER VIEWS

Decrying government policy in the hope of repeal is common. Less so is 
taking the initiative to work outside the system, and detractors of a 
federal student aid guideline are doing just that.

The law in question is designed to keep federal aid dollars out of the 
hands of college students who have criminal drug records. On the federal 
student aid application, fund-seekers are asked if they've ever been 
convicted of possessing or selling illegal drugs.

For those answering "yes," one possession conviction renders students 
unable to receive aid for a year after conviction. For a second possession 
or first drug-sale conviction, the funding ineligibility is two years.

Last week, a network of groups pushing for drug law reform launched a 
scholarship program for students turned down because of their criminal drug 
records. The John W. Perry Fund scholarships are named for a New York cop 
who died in the World Trade Center attacks last fall. Perry was a staunch 
critic of the war on drugs.

Higher education is a window of opportunity, one the existing drug law 
unfairly shuts. The current provisions need to be changed or thrown out 
altogether. Until that happens, hats off to the people who didn't want to wait.

The Goshen (Ind.) News
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens