UNFAIR DRUG PENALTY SHOULD BE RESCINDED

You can be convicted of armed robbery, rape, even murder. As terrible
as these felonies are, you can still apply for, and receive,
financial aid should you want to pursue higher education.

But don't get caught on a drug offense, because you'll lost all hope
of financial aid.

A nationwide survey by the US Department of Education ranks Rhode
Island as fifth in the nation in denying college aid to drug
offenders. They released the information only after Students for
Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) filed a Freedom of Information request.

The data shows that since the Higher Education Act was signed into
law by President Bill Clinton in 1998 and enacted during the 2000-01
school year, 807 Rhode Islanders have been denied student aid. They
constitute 2.9 percent of 274,167 applicants filling out FAFSA forms.

The original provision required students to reveal if they had ever
been convicted of possessing or selling drugs when filling out the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. That was
modified somewhat in February, when Congress revised it to apply to
only those students who were convicted of drug possession while
enrolled in college.

SSDP is among 250 organizations, including the National Educators
Association, the National Association of Student Financial Aid
Administrators, and the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, that have called for the full repeal of the law. URI
President Robert Carothers has repeatedly spoken out against it,
pointing out that the penalty falls disproportionately on minorities
and low-income students.

As we have said in the past and say again, the law penalizes those
who have made a mistake and are attempting to better their lives.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy and Rep. James Langevin were recently singled
out by SSDP for their refusal to co-sponsor a bill to overturn the
aid elimination penalty. According to a Langevin spokesperson, he is
currently reviewing the bill. Kennedy's office didn't bother
returning telephone calls.

The report and full state-by-state data are available online at
www.ssdp.org/states.

We believe that as people come to understand the import and iutrinsic
unfairness of this bill, they will lend their opposition. We'd like
to see our Congressmen take a leadership role in repealing the
provision even before that happens.