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| Editorial: FAFSA Drug Question Unfair to Students |
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Posted by FoM on March 03, 2000 at 14:55:09 PT Staff Editorial, Arizona Daily Wildcat-U. Arizona Source: U-WIRE 
Students are people. They make mistakes. Influenced by peer pressure, parents or curiosity, some students have found themselves involved with illegal activities, including the use of drugs. Experimentation is a part of growing up. Some teenagers have used illegal drugs and have since wised up to the dangers of such activities. A federal law passed last year unfairly punishes any student with a drug conviction applying for federal aid, but there is now a loophole that students should be aware of and, if necessary, take advantage of. Last year, the U.S. Department of Education passed a new regulation that added new question to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The question states, "If you have never been convicted of any illegal drug offense, enter '1' in the box." Students with a prior conviction were then at the mercy of the government, and ultimately could not receive Pell Grants, student loans and other types of financial aid. So, the government was trying to prevent students who were previously busted for selling or using drugs - even once - from getting money that likely is critical to their academic pursuits. During recent months, more than 100,000 students were understandably nervous about answering the question and left the box blank. This left the Education Department with a tough decision to make - deny these students federal aid, or process their applications. Last week, department officials determined to process all applications in which the student left the conviction question blank. This gives students with past convictions an out - just leave the question blank. Granted, the new question is somewhat justified, in that the government wants to ensure it isn't giving out taxpayer money to users and sellers. After all, that loan could easily be used to support a person's habit, which would not be a productive way to spend money when hundreds of worthwhile programs are strapped for cash. But the problem with the new FAFSA form is that it hurts one-time offenders. Students shouldn't have their academic pursuits squashed simply because they made one mistake and got busted. Growing up can be a trying and confusing time, and some people will inevitably turn to drugs for one of many reasons. This does not necessarily mean, though, that everybody who has smoked marijuana is a heavy user, even though the U.S. Department of Education might want to treat them as such. Lying on the FAFSA form and misleading the government is not the answer, as that is a federal offense and can lead to serious ramifications. Instead, students with drug convictions should leave the box blank. This is the best short-term solution until the government can figure out a way to separate the one-time offenders from the heavy users. Related Articles & Web Site: Students For Sensible Drug Policy Students With Drug Convictions Will Soon Be Denied No Loans for Student Drug Offenders Column: New Financial Aid Policy an Injustice Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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Comment #5 posted by tomgnyc on February 20, 2002 at 09:46:53 PT:
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| You fell victim to false logic. It is not "obvious" that anyone unfit for public service would not run for public office. Not only is it not "obvious" but it is BLATANTLY UNTRUE. Look at our very president, who was arrested for drunk driving. (which was nicely glossed over or ignored by our conservative media matrix) Another good example is Mayor Marion Barry of Washington DC, who was caught smoking crack with hookers in a hotel room and then WAS RE-ELECTED!! You are intellectually lazy if you just beleive whatever a poitician says at face value, and are exactly what is wrong with this country and this world. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on March 04, 2000 at 15:37:24 PT |
BCG, this is a lot more than that. It is the logical conclusion of a process that began with urine testing in the 80's. Because the antis really meant it when they said they wanted a 'DrugFree Society'.
What you see happening is an interesting twist; those nations governed by a supposed Conservative majority are actually controlled by a tightly organized Conservative minority with the blessings of the corporations they see as role models. Okay, I can hear someone say, nothing new there. But the original definition of a conservative was a person who conserved individual rights and liberties from encroachment by a social-engineering liberal minority using the power of the State to acomplish it's goals.
Now it is the so-called Conservatives who have taken upon themselves the machinery of social engineering and are using the power of the State to further *their* goals. Doing exactly what they accused Liberals of doing for so long. They know the last holdouts are the campuses, where you are still (after a fashion) allowed to think rather than to react. They want to try to ensure that only those they think of as ideologically pure will matriculate. This is one way of doing it.
| Comment #3 posted by bcg on March 04, 2000 at 11:20:07 PT |
| Comment #2 posted by Ezra Fleener on March 03, 2000 at 23:42:22 PT |
| Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on March 03, 2000 at 17:49:37 PT |
Because when you have to tell some taxpaying parents who had indulged at one time or another that their pride & joy can't go to 'Hah-vud' because the grant money is withheld because of past drug usage... well, I wouldn't want to be a politician. A lot of Americans are like cattle in some ways; if their neighbor gets hauled away to the DrugWar holding pens, or if their neighbor gets his house forfeited, they just shake their heads and moo. Even if their innocent neighbor gets shot 'accidentally' by rampaging DrugWarriors, they shake their heads and go back to chewing their cud. But if their own children's futures are threatened, watch out. Because the cattle will remember they have horns.
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