Pubdate: Thu, 08 Jun 2000 Source: WCC Horizon (WA) Contact: WCC Horizon, 237 West Kellogg Road, Bellingham, WA 98226 Copyright: (2000 WCC Horizon Fax: 360-676-2171 Author: Bruce Bolton, WCC student WCC STUDENT COUNCIL ENDORSES RESOLUTION TO REPEAL DRUG PROVISION FROM '98 HIGHER EDUCATION ACT On Friday June 2nd, WCC's student council passed a resolution calling for the repeal of a part of the 1998 higher education act that delays or denies financial aid for people convicted of a drug offense. The resolution, brought to council by WCC student Tyree Callahan, supports congressional representative Barney Frank's bill H.R. 1053, which would repeal the drug provision of the HEA. The council passed the resolution by a 13-6 vote. Callahan, who is part of the Western Washington University Drug Policy Reform Organization, said that he is against the HEA drug provision for a multitude of reasons. He said now students who are caught doing drugs could lose financial aid while a rapist would not face the same penalty. Callahan also sees the provisions as hurting diversity. "It is classist and racist," said Callahan. Callahan cites statistics showing African Americans being 13% percent of all drug users but the majority of persons arrested for drug offenses. He also points out that students from well-to-do backgrounds will not be affected while poorer students will have less access to higher education. Organizations such as the NAACP and the ACLU are opposed to the HEA drug provision for the same reasons. This is not Callahan's first time fighting to change drug policy. Earlier this year he got the student government at WWU to endorse the same resolution. Callahan's fight for changes in drug laws started in 1989 when his father was sentenced to a mandatory 27 years in prison for drug offenses. The head of WCC's Financial Aid Department, David Klaffke, said that the HEA drug provision makes more work for his office. "I am all for drug enforcement...but I am not sure [denying financial aid] is the best way to go about enforcing drug law." Klaffke said. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck