Staff Editorial
Daily Texan (U. Texas-Austin)
(U-WIRE) AUSTIN, Texas -- U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., wants to keep students in college.
Due to this desire, Frank and 39 co-sponsors proposed H.R. 685 last week, a bill that would repeal a law barring students with drug convictions from receiving financial aid. Currently, the Higher Education Act deems students convicted of drug possession ineligible to receive financial aid. This year, 29,000 students were ineligible to receive aid, according to the Department of Education.
Under the act, students convicted once of drug possession are ineligible to receive financial aid for one year. A second conviction brings two years of ineligibility and a third, permanent ineligibility. Those convicted of selling drugs lose eligibility for two years on their first offense and permanently after the second.
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Neither Frank nor the Editorial Board condones drug usage by college students. But we agree that a drug possession conviction is no worse than getting convicted of assault, robbery or any other crime. Why are students convicted of drug charges being singled out? Needless to say, it seems rather unfair that students convicted of other crimes remain eligible to receive financial aid.
"[This bill] doesn't mean that drugs aren't bad. It means that using marijuana is not worse than rape or arson," Frank told The Daily Texan Tuesday.
Opponents of the bill assert that putting aid dollars into the hands of drug offenders allows them to use the money to buy more drugs. These critics should realize that money students receive can be spent on anything they choose. No one monitors students to ensure that aid money is spent on books and food instead of booze and video games. One can only hope the money is spent responsibly.
Instead of a blanket policy banning drug offenders from receiving financial aid, authorities should view the transgressions of students on an individual basis. If a student is convicted of possession of marijuana, we recommend that authorities view the transgression as a mild offense and allow the student to remain eligible for financial aid. If a student is convicted of a more serious crime -- like drug trafficking -- then authorities should have the ability to bar him or her from receiving aid.
The current law not only discriminates against drug users, it discriminates against the poor. If a UT student not receiving financial aid is convicted of a drug offense, the repercussions from the University would be nil. But a student who relies on financial aid to pay for school could be forced to drop out if convicted on drug charges.
Unfortunately, Frank has lost this battle before. Last year, a bill similar to the one Frank introduced this session failed. We compel legislators to acknowledge that Frank's bill aims to keep students in college -- not drugs on the streets.
