News (Media Awareness Project) - US LA: Edu: Students Challenge Policy Restricting Federal Aid |
| Title: | US LA: Edu: Students Challenge Policy Restricting Federal Aid |
| Published On: | 2006-03-31 |
| Source: | The Southern Digest (LA Edu) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-14 08:41:02 |
STUDENTS CHALLENGE POLICY RESTRICTING FEDERAL AID DUE TO PRIOR DRUG
CONVICTIONS
The Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), with help from the
American Civil Liberties Union, are challenging a law that strips
college aid from students with prior drug convictions.
Started in 1998 by students at college campuses around the nation,
the goal of the SSDP was to challenge the bill, which later became a
law by Indiana Republican Mark Souder, that strips financial aid from
college students with drug convictions.
The bill has affected 200,000 college students that have mostly
dropped out of college because they simply just couldnat afford it.
aWe are an organization that feels that the war on drugs is doing
more harm than good when effecting things like financial aid,a said
Tom Angell, campaign director of SSDP. aThe law hurts society, it
stops people who messed up once from moving on in their lives.a
The lawsuit a SSDP vs. Spellingsa, challenges the Secretary of
the United States Department of Education. It claims the ban
unconstitutionally punishes people twice for the same offense,
violating the Double Jeopardy clause of the U.S. Constitutionas
Fifth Amendment.
The ban also irrationally designates a class of people, those with
drug convictions, as unworthy of educational aid, violating the equal
protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendmentas Due Process Clause.
The Suit also claims the ban disproportionately affects working class
students who rely on financial aid to curtail the costs of their education.
Wealthy students who can afford tuition are entirely insulated from
the law, while those less well off risk losing access to education.
aYoung people should not be punished twice for the same ayouthful
indiscretionsa many of our nationas leaders got away with,a said
Kris Krane, executive director SSDP. aFar too many students have
lost their education, a collateral damage in the war on drugs. Itas
time to stand and take our aid back.a
Latara Riley, a freshman from Orlando, Fla. majoring in mass
communication agrees with Krane.
aI donat think itas right because if its in the past, let it
stay in the pass,a she said. aPersonally I feel that its just
aThe Mana trying to keep them out of college.a
Interested students who want to become a part of the cause can visit
www.ssdp.org/lawsuit to get more information.
Also those affected by the aid elimination penalty should e-mail
ssdp@ssdp.org or call (202) 203-4414 to obtain further information
about the class action lawsuit.
CONVICTIONS
The Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), with help from the
American Civil Liberties Union, are challenging a law that strips
college aid from students with prior drug convictions.
Started in 1998 by students at college campuses around the nation,
the goal of the SSDP was to challenge the bill, which later became a
law by Indiana Republican Mark Souder, that strips financial aid from
college students with drug convictions.
The bill has affected 200,000 college students that have mostly
dropped out of college because they simply just couldnat afford it.
aWe are an organization that feels that the war on drugs is doing
more harm than good when effecting things like financial aid,a said
Tom Angell, campaign director of SSDP. aThe law hurts society, it
stops people who messed up once from moving on in their lives.a
The lawsuit a SSDP vs. Spellingsa, challenges the Secretary of
the United States Department of Education. It claims the ban
unconstitutionally punishes people twice for the same offense,
violating the Double Jeopardy clause of the U.S. Constitutionas
Fifth Amendment.
The ban also irrationally designates a class of people, those with
drug convictions, as unworthy of educational aid, violating the equal
protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendmentas Due Process Clause.
The Suit also claims the ban disproportionately affects working class
students who rely on financial aid to curtail the costs of their education.
Wealthy students who can afford tuition are entirely insulated from
the law, while those less well off risk losing access to education.
aYoung people should not be punished twice for the same ayouthful
indiscretionsa many of our nationas leaders got away with,a said
Kris Krane, executive director SSDP. aFar too many students have
lost their education, a collateral damage in the war on drugs. Itas
time to stand and take our aid back.a
Latara Riley, a freshman from Orlando, Fla. majoring in mass
communication agrees with Krane.
aI donat think itas right because if its in the past, let it
stay in the pass,a she said. aPersonally I feel that its just
aThe Mana trying to keep them out of college.a
Interested students who want to become a part of the cause can visit
www.ssdp.org/lawsuit to get more information.
Also those affected by the aid elimination penalty should e-mail
ssdp@ssdp.org or call (202) 203-4414 to obtain further information
about the class action lawsuit.
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