AID DENIED

Question On Drugs Can Be A Roadblock To Education

Congress took a step in February toward ending a discriminatory
policy that authorized the denial of federal financial aid to any
college student or applicant with a record of drug offenses. The
rule was limited to convictions that occurred while a student was
receiving aid.

Now it's time for Congress to finish the job by ensuring the aid
application forms reflect the new policy that past convictions are
not grounds for ineligibility.

The original law, which took effect with the 2000-01 school year,
was enacted to make sure government funds did not subsidize college
for drug dealers. But the net effect of asking students whether they
have "ever been convicted of possessing or selling illegal drugs"
has been to discourage people from even seeking financial aid, which
for many means college is out of reach.

For people who have, yes, committed a crime but also paid their full
price for it, the lingering question of a conviction can be the
difference between a step in the right direction or a backward fall.

Rehabilitation and education are partners.

According to a nonprofit advocacy group called Students for a
Sensible Drug Policy, the disclosure requirement has made nearly
200,000 students ineligible for financial assistance since it was
enacted, for anywhere from one year to indefinitely. In Michigan,
6,722 students were denied aid.

In 2005, a congressional advisory committee on student financial aid
called the question of prior drug convictions "irrelevant" to aid
eligibility and suggested it "adds complexity to the form and can
deter some students from applying for financial aid."

The Students for Sensible Drug Policy has filed a federal lawsuit
challenging the constitutionality of the entire policy. But Congress
can do something in the meantime to make sure the financial aid
application reflects the changes made to the law in February. It
should be clear that a poor history need not be a barrier to a
promising future.