AID FOR DRUGS USERS UNFAIR

While it is charitable to believe that drug offenders should be granted the
same privileges as other financial aid applicants ("Time for a drug-free
FAFSA," Mar. 6. p. 6), it is largely unfair. If the amount of financial aid
awards were equal among all needy applicants, then a student's drug habits
would not matter to most in this regard.

However, the fact that some drug abusers receive financial aid means that
students of higher moral character (or at least those who don't get caught)
receive less or no aid at all.

Therefore, while it would seem that the drug-offender policy is hurting the
abuser, it is in fact protecting the more deserving students.

Besides, how many drug offenders will make it all the way through higher
education anyway? The most important subject is how universities plan to
make education more affordable to lower income families, instead of
awarding grants and full scholarships to the wealthy.

Michelle Mendykowski

COM '08