• DPMC Moderators: thegreenhand | tryptakid
  • Drug Policy & Media Coverage Welcome Guest
    View threads about
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Drug Busts Megathread Video Megathread

FinancialAid:House Committee Lightens Up on Students with Drug Possession Convictions

Tchort

Tchort

Bluelight Crew
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
Messages
2,392
For a decade, a law authored by Indiana Republican Rep. Mark Souder has been an obstacle to higher education for people with drug records. The Higher Education Act (HEA) anti-drug provision, known more recently as the "Aid Elimination Penalty," barred students with drug offenses from receiving financial aid for specified periods of time.

Under pressure from students, educators, and others in a growing coalition to repeal the provision, Souder himself supported a partial reform in 2006 that restricted the provision's reach to those convicted of drug offenses while in school, and further changes in 2008 to help motivated students regain their eligibility early. Still, pressure to repeal it completely remained.

Now, with Democrats firmly in control of the Congress, the provision is once again undergoing scrutiny. On Tuesday, the House Education and Labor Committee voted to further shrink the provision's impact by limiting it only to students who are convicted of selling drugs, not those convicted simply of drug possession.

The vote came as part of broader legislation reforming the student loan system. That legislation must still pass the House and the Senate before the reform takes place. The committee turned back an amendment by Souder to strip the language reforming the drug provision by a vote of 20-27.
Click to expand...

StopTheDrugWar.org

Drug War Chronicle

7/24/2009

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/595/higher_education_act_HEA_drug_provision_vote
 
That is something very nice to hear..

Didn't think something like this could happen, people have power it seems
 
I think in several decades this will have a positive economic impact since more lower class (and especially racial minority) people will be going to college.
 
It didn't make sense to fuck some kid over for posession. Like if he gets busted and can't afford to finish college/uni what good does it do for society?
Now you have a pissed off ex-student with lots of time on his/her hands, drug connects and in need of quick easy money to finish school/support themselves. It was basically a recipe for creating drug dealers.

I'm glad politicians came to their senses. It seems like we're taking steps in the right direction... That is until there is a Christian conservative backlash after Obama's second term. :/
 
Good news. Definately will reduce the amount of people who's lives are ruined by the drug war.
 
drug_mentor said:
Good news. Definately will reduce the amount of people who's lives are ruined by the drug war.
Click to expand...

Not by much.

The real way to reduce the amount of people whose (not who's = who is...duh) lives are ruined by the drug war would be to end the drug war.
 
what does drug possession have to do with higher education anyway? (teehee, pun intended)
Ever since this measure was introduced its been just another mechanism to restrict drug use to an imagined lower class

let the punishment fit the crime I say (yeah right)
 
Well put dankster.

Hope this passes. That bullshit rule scares the shit out of me, all I need is some petty possession charge fuckin up what I've scrounged for. I'm goin 1000s of dollars into debt WITH the aid I get... less so now though that I turned 24 and am finally considered an adult in the eyes of the FAFSA. That's the next rule they need to fucking pull. My parents didn't contribute jack shit to my college funding, but it wasn't until this year that I didn't have to include their tax info. All of a sudden I'm getting an extra 3 grand a year that REALLY helps, and would have helped a whole lot more if I would have been getting it the last three years I've been in school >=|

They way it's set up now you can either have rich parents (that give a shit), get married, wait till you turn 24, or just take the plunge and start racking up those Stafford loans... That or kill some time in the armed services, I'm sure that crossed their minds =\
 
Well , Im still fucked. Oh lets be reasonable and understanding and not hurt the GOOD people who just messed up, lets save the disadvantage-causing rules for the people who REALLY deserve them, the ones convicted for SELLING drugs. I was so happy when i started reading this then I seen that it dont matter anyways and i still cant get the aid, fuck them if they really wanted to help they wouldnt make the divide between "good" and "bad" drug related crimes even deeper by seperating them into groups who do and dont deserve financial aid. i guess i must be a real piece of shit if even kids who possess drugs deserve to get off the hook as far as financial aid concerned that jus makes all of us who got distribution charges look that much worse
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top