Pubdate: Mon, 07 Nov 2005
Source: Knight News (Queens College, NY Edu)
Contact: http://www.qcknightnews.com/home/lettertotheeditor/
Copyright: 2005 Knight News
Website: http://www.qcknightnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3995
Author: Tom Angell
Note: Tom Angell is campaigns director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Cited: Students for Sensible Drug Policy http://www.daregeneration.com
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)

WAR ON DRUGS OR WAR ON EDUCATION?

As college students around the country prepare for this semester's
midterms, thousands of their would-be classmates don't have anything
to study for because of a federal law that strips financial aid from
people with drug convictions.

The policy is currently being reconsidered as Congress renews the
Higher Education Act (HEA) for the first time in seven years. While
the HEA was originally enacted in 1965 to make higher education more
accessible and affordable for all Americans, the Drug Provision -
added during the 1998 HEA reauthorization - is an unjustifiable
roadblock in the path to college. Over the past seven years, more than
175,000 students have lost their financial aid because of the HEA Drug
Provision.

Every student affected by this law has already gone through the
courts. Taking away their financial aid punishes them twice for the
same crime. Drug crimes are the only infractions that students lose
aid for - murderers and rapists are still eligible. And because of
racial profiling and the discriminatory enforcement of drug laws, the
policy disproportionately keeps people of color out of college.

Last month Congress' own researchers at the Government Accountability
Office were unable to find any evidence the provision actually reduces
drug abuse. In fact, other federal studies show that high school
graduates not attending college are far more likely to use drugs than
those in college.

Besides worsening our nation's drug problems and victimizing students
who are trying to turn their lives around with a college education,
this law hurts America's economic productivity and makes our streets
more dangerous.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, college graduates earn 62 percent
more each year and $1 million more over lifetimes than people with
only high school diplomas. College graduates pay twice as much federal
income tax than high school graduates. The revenue-slashing aid ban is
unacceptable in a time of budget shortfalls.

And the law does more than hurt revenue; it drives up public spending.
Educated people are less likely to rely on costly social programs like
welfare, food stamps, and public housing. Budget hawks should be
outraged that this provision prevents people from pulling themselves
up by their bootstraps and becoming productive taxpaying citizens.

College graduates are also less likely to break the law and become
costly drains on the criminal justice system. People with only high
school diplomas are twelve times more likely to be incarcerated than
college graduates. Jailing one prisoner costs $26,000 per year.

We should encourage people who have been in trouble with drugs to move
beyond their past mistakes, but the HEA Drug Provision prevents them
from getting their lives back on track. Graduating more college
students means greater economic productivity and increased tax
revenue, while locking up more inmates means taxpayers must pay for
skyrocketing prison costs. Keeping this policy on the books is
fiscally irresponsible.

One pending proposal to scale back the law would help some students
get back into school but would leave thousands behind. The minor
change would stop the provision from affecting people with convictions
in the past, but students busted while in school would continue to
lose their aid, leaving the fundamental problems with the law
unaddressed.

Since there are already minimum grade requirements for receiving aid,
the partially reformed Drug Provision would still only affect students
doing well in classes. Good students would continue to be removed from
school for minor convictions, many never returning to finish their
degrees. The Department of Education reports that more than a third of
students leaving college before beginning their second year don't
return within five years.

Partially reforming this fundamentally flawed law is like slapping a
band-aid on a gaping wound. Lawmakers should fully repeal the Drug
Provision and reinstate aid to all qualified individuals who want to
earn a college education.

Students who realize this policy is counterproductive and
discriminatory should contact Students for Sensible Drug Policy and
get involved in efforts to take Drug War politics out of education.
Visit www.DAREgeneration.com or call (202) 293-4414 for more
information. More than 120 student governments have passed resolutions
calling on Congress to repeal the Drug Provision. What will you do to
help overturn this law?

It could be another seven years before Congress restructures the
Higher Education Act again. Concerned students and educators should
urge their legislators to take the lead in helping young people stay
in school where they belong. If Congress doesn't act now, another
175,000 students could have the doors to education slammed shut in
their faces.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake