2008 Woodie Awards
Drug offenses outweigh violent acts?
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: Editorial
- Page 1 of 1
Crime doesn't pay, that is unless you've been convicted of murder, burglary or rape. Yes it's true, Uncle Sam has been opening up his check book and giving out loans and grants to these individuals, yet one group of felons can't seem to catch a break when it comes to pursuing their scholarly dreams, students that have any drug convictions.
This all stems from an amendment that was added in 1998 to the Higher Education Act of 1965 which states in Section 483.
SUSPENSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES-
(1) IN GENERAL- A student who has been convicted of any offense under any Federal or State law involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance shall not be eligible to receive any grant, loan, or work assistance under this title during the period beginning on the date of such conviction and ending after the interval specified in the following table:
If convicted of an offense involving the possession of a controlled substance:
Ineligibility period is:
First offense: 1 year
Second offense: 2 years
Third offense: Indefinite.
The sale of a controlled substance:
Ineligibility period is:
First offense: 2 years
Second offense: Indefinite.
Since this amendment has been in effect over 200,000 students have lost their eligibility to receive loans and grants. It is understandable that the government wants to rid our college campuses of drugs and this is their method of doing so, but what kind of world are we living in when the government penalizes students so hard for a non violent crime and just turns the other way when it comes to violent crimes?
What the government needs to do is add another amendment with that revokes loans and grants to those that have committed murder and rape to balance the injustice being perpetrated to those that have committed a lesser crime or simply repeal the amendment that is negatively affecting so many students that are just trying to get the education they want and can rise above the need of selling and using drugs. There is no reason that our nation's war to end drugs in our society should hinder somebody's quest for an education over something as ridiculous as possessing a dime bag, while murderers are free to continue their educational careers while nobody says a word.
Two years ago a bill was proposed in Congress to amend the Higher Education Act to repeal the amendment from 1998 that suspends eligibility for drug offenses, but no action has been taken on it since then.
This all stems from an amendment that was added in 1998 to the Higher Education Act of 1965 which states in Section 483.
SUSPENSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES-
(1) IN GENERAL- A student who has been convicted of any offense under any Federal or State law involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance shall not be eligible to receive any grant, loan, or work assistance under this title during the period beginning on the date of such conviction and ending after the interval specified in the following table:
If convicted of an offense involving the possession of a controlled substance:
Ineligibility period is:
First offense: 1 year
Second offense: 2 years
Third offense: Indefinite.
The sale of a controlled substance:
Ineligibility period is:
First offense: 2 years
Second offense: Indefinite.
Since this amendment has been in effect over 200,000 students have lost their eligibility to receive loans and grants. It is understandable that the government wants to rid our college campuses of drugs and this is their method of doing so, but what kind of world are we living in when the government penalizes students so hard for a non violent crime and just turns the other way when it comes to violent crimes?
What the government needs to do is add another amendment with that revokes loans and grants to those that have committed murder and rape to balance the injustice being perpetrated to those that have committed a lesser crime or simply repeal the amendment that is negatively affecting so many students that are just trying to get the education they want and can rise above the need of selling and using drugs. There is no reason that our nation's war to end drugs in our society should hinder somebody's quest for an education over something as ridiculous as possessing a dime bag, while murderers are free to continue their educational careers while nobody says a word.
Two years ago a bill was proposed in Congress to amend the Higher Education Act to repeal the amendment from 1998 that suspends eligibility for drug offenses, but no action has been taken on it since then.
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