ACLU CHALLENGES FEDERAL LOAN BAN TO STUDENTS WITH DRUG CONVICTIONS

The American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday challenged the
constitutionality of a federal law that blocks students convicted of
a drug offense from obtaining federal student loans.

"Closing the campus gates denies these students a crucial chance to
get themselves back on track by staying in school," said ACLU
attorney Adam Wolf, who called the law "an unfair and irrational
barrier to education (that) singles out working-class Americans."

At least one Dayton-area college financial aid administrator supports
the ACLU's challenge and wonders why no one challenged the law
sooner. Emphasizing she was speaking for herself and not on behalf of
the college, Kathy L. Wiesenauer, director of Sinclair Community
College's financial aid office, said, "I believe that the current law
unfairly singles out a class of individuals who have already paid
their debt to society through fines, imprisonment or service to the community."

The law denies aid to drug offenders but not to rapists, murderers or
sexual predators, Wiesenauer said.

"The allegation that this law unfairly discriminates against the poor
is also valid," she said. "Wealthy folks who are not in need of
financial assistance to attend college are in no way penalized for
their past indiscretions. They can simply pay their tuition and be
about their business."

About 14 million Americans apply for financial aid annually, and the
ACLU estimates that the law -- passed by Congress in 2000 -- has
blocked aid to hundreds of thousands of would-be students.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in South Dakota.