Denying College Access Not The Solution For Drug Problems

Smoking Dope Really Can Make You Stupid

Tucked away in the fine print of the Higher Education Act is a drug
provision mandating the suspension of students' federal financial aid
if they have been convicted under federal or state laws for offenses
involving the possession or sale of controlled substances.

The little-known provision's strict enforcement strips students of
their financial aid, and for some, their ability to receive a college
education because of past mistakes.

Between 17,000 and 41,000 students nationwide were denied student
loans from 2001 to 2004, according to a report published by the
Government Accountability Office.

That translates to between $100 and $164 million in lost dollars that
could have allowed students to follow a productive path that may be
the best insurance against recidivism.

People go to college to improve their lives; it's as positive a step
as anyone can take. It requires commitment, and for many who've never
gone that route, a great deal of courage.

For those who've previously been arrested for any reason, college can
be the turnaround of their life. Now the government is singling out
some of those people and telling them not to bother.

Statistics from the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirm that the
relationship between recidivism rates and education is, not very
surprisingly, inverse.

In a country claiming to promote the rehabilitation, rather than
incarceration, of convicted criminals, students have become victims
of the drug war waged by the government on college campuses.

Students who've already paid the criminal penalties for drug
convictions -- through drug treatment, prohibition, community service
or time in jail -- are being made to pay again through the loss of college aid.

While financial aid can be reinstated for students who undergo drug
rehabilitation, it only applies for those convicted of possession
alone. The length of suspension also depends on the number and type
of convictions, where any students charged with more than one sale or
more than two possessions receive an indefinite delay in aid.

The provision forces many students to either drop out or lessen their
course loads until the government gives them the go-ahead for the
basic, positive intellectual pursuit of education.The Higher
Education Act doesn't target students convicted of other crimes like
rape, domestic assault or murder. Neither does the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid. But both discriminate against the very
people they are supposed to support.

The hammer falls unequally on low-income families, putting up a
barrier to higher education for convicted students who are poor and
need financial aid that doesn't exist for convicted students who are
better off.

Under the provision, federal policymakers are robbing students of the
motivation to make positive contributions to the world and achieve
brighter futures. But wait, isn't that what drugs are supposed to do?