FEDERAL AID & DRUGS

A recent proposal to amend the 2000 Higher Education Act that
regulates federal funding for college attendees may not be in
students' best interests.

The law currently stipulates that drug offenders will receive little
or no aid depending on the severity and recurrence of their crimes.

Students who are caught using or selling drugs will lose funding for
one year following their first offense and two years for their second.
Three drug offenses will result in an indefinite loss of funding.

Under the current law, students caught selling drugs face more serious
consequences -- two years' loss of aid for the first offense and a
total loss for the second.

Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and a group of supporters now want to
amend the act because they say it is unfair to students who commit
drug offenses.

The act is not unfair. Federal funding, even for education, should not
be given freely to those who abuse the privilege.

Unfortunately, there is only so much money set aside for federal aid,
which means that students who deserve some form of help often do not
receive it.

For this reason, the Higher Education Act should be kept the way it
is, regardless of how much money drug offenders lose in the process.

If you commit a crime, you should have to deal with the
consequences.

Making the decision to use or sell drugs should not be without
influence on federal aid.

After all, current stipulations allow students to redeem themselves
and reapply for funding. Losing it after a first offense serves as a
wake-up call to those who need the money for their educations.

In these respects, the act seems to be working fine just as it is --
discouraging drug use in a fair and well-organized manner.