Pubdate: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 Source: Watertown Daily Times (NY) Copyright: 2005 Watertown Daily Times Contact: http://www.wdt.net Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/792 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) COLLEGE AID Remove Penalties For Prior Drug Use Congress is reviewing a controversial provision of the Higher Education Act that denies federal financial assistance for the college bound for past drug use. Students can be denied aid for one year for a first-time offence with increasing penalties for other violations. Sale of a controlled substance could make a student ineligible for aid indefinitely. Since the restriction was enacted five years ago, more than 160,000 students have been turned down for federal aid. The restriction applies no matter when the violation occurred, even if it was years before the college-bound student committed the violation, penalizing young adults for youthful mistakes. Even the bill's original sponsor. Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., says it goes too far and supports narrowing it to students convicted of drug crimes while they receive the aid. The ACLU, NAACP, the American Council on Education and the American Public Health Association are among more than 200 organizations and 115 students groups that have called for complete repeal of the provision. It conflicts with attempts by former drug users to rehabilitate themselves. The provision puts another hurdle in the way of people seeking a second chance and trying to improve their lives through a college education. It is also discriminatory, having the greatest impact on the poor, who are more dependant on the aid to pay for college, and on minorities, who account for a large percentage of drug convictions. Congress should repeal the provision. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin