Pubdate: Sun, 21 Dec 2003
Source: Sun Herald (MS)
Copyright: 2003, The Sun Herald
Contact:  http://www.sunherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/432
Author: Kimberly Dunaway
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act)

EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A WEAPON

A college education isn't a reward confined to a single individual, but 
instead is something that has the potential to reach beyond that person and 
impact our community in a positive manner. It is for this reason I am 
opposed to the federal law that denies educational assistance to 
individuals who have committed any type of drug offense.

If we believe providing financial aid for school to drug offenders is 
rewarding bad behavior, then we believe providing the same to murderers, 
rapists and thieves is also a reward. If this is true, we are against 
drugs, but we support murder, rape and stealing. A kid has a better chance 
of turning his life around if he murders than he does if he is caught with 
a marijuana cigarette.

Kids should be punished when caught with drugs, but we should take a 
realistic look at the conceptual picture and what we are doing in the name 
of "taking a firm stand." A financially disadvantaged kid makes a mistake 
and the price he or she pays is "Now you can't go to school"? We have just 
confined this individual to a certain socio-economic class, one that is 
proven to propagate criminal behavior. As taxpayers, we end up footing the 
bill anyway, generally through the welfare or penal system.

The cost of housing a prisoner is about $26 thousand per year. We presently 
have over 2 million incarcerated and nearly 6.5 million in the penal 
system. The cost of a college education is a small price to pay by 
comparison. I would much rather my tax dollars be spent on universities 
than prisons.

We should embrace education and the value it provides. We should never use 
it as a weapon against anyone regardless of their past mistakes. Contact 
your congressman to urge change!

KIMBERLY DUNAWAY, Ocean Springs
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager