FEDERAL MONEY FOR SCHOOL - SHOULD DRUG OFFENDERS LOSE AID?

Editorial Board
Collegiate Times

Campuses across the nation are joining the efforts of a non-profit
organization in hopes of repealing a federal law which mandates a
person convicted of any drug offense loses his eligibility to receive
federal financial aid for school. Students at more than 100
universities have joined forces with the Drug Reform Coordination
Network to repeal this law, which was adopted in October 1998. This
law has the potential to cause many problems down the road if it is
allowed to stay in the legal system.

Congress must pass the bill to repeal the law. The law was probably
designed to act as a deterrent, with hopes that juveniles would
consider the damage that could be done to their future before they
commit a drug crime.

But, this will not happen. Most teenagers aren’t thinking about
college when they are in high school. Some of them might decide they
want to attend college, and they might even start planning a major and
career goal. But, what most kids forget to think about is funding. It
is not until the last semester of students’ senior year in high school
they start worrying about filling out the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid. It is not until then they realize the government plays a
large part in funding many people’s education. Taking away financial
aid is unfair.

A person convicted of a drug offense pays a punishment at the time of
sentencing. It is unfair to attach a lifelong punishment. If the
criminal pays his punishment, then he shouldn’t have to worry about
being denied financial aid years down the road. The goal of
imprisonment and other punishments is to rehabilitate a person so he
will not commit crimes again.

Isn’t an education part of rehabilitation? Why take away the hope for
a person to become educated and turn his life around? Criminals are
still eligible to get other federal financial support. They can
receive medicare, medicaid and welfare.

These are forms of aid they get by doing no work and putting no effort
forth.

By not offering financial aid for school, many of the criminals will
not be able to get decent jobs and will end up receiving government
funds through welfare anyway. Wouldn’t the government rather grant
former drug offenders money to get an education than hand them money
to sit at home without a job? The law could also lead to possible
discrimination against minority and lower income students.

According DRCNet statistics 13 percent of all drug users are African
American, but they account for 55 percent of all drug convictions (CT,
March 30). This means that African Americans are targeted and
convicted on drug offenses more often than other races, even though
they do not use drugs any more. This also means they will lose their
financial aid more often. This law is full of flaws and will wreak
havoc on the educational system if it continues to remain in the legal
system.