Pubdate: Wed, 22 Mar 2006
Source: Dayton Daily News (OH)
Copyright: 2006 Dayton Daily News
Contact:  http://www.daytondailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/120
Author: Mark Fisher, Dayton Daily News
Cited: American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org/drugpolicy/
Cited: Students for Sensible Drug Policy http://www.daregeneration.com
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?219 (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?247 (Crime Policy - United States)

ACLU CHALLENGES FEDERAL LOAN BAN TO STUDENTS WITH DRUG CONVICTIONS

The American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday challenged the 
constitutionality of a federal law that blocks students convicted of 
a drug offense from obtaining federal student loans.

"Closing the campus gates denies these students a crucial chance to 
get themselves back on track by staying in school," said ACLU 
attorney Adam Wolf, who called the law "an unfair and irrational 
barrier to education (that) singles out working-class Americans."

At least one Dayton-area college financial aid administrator supports 
the ACLU's challenge and wonders why no one challenged the law 
sooner. Emphasizing she was speaking for herself and not on behalf of 
the college, Kathy L. Wiesenauer, director of Sinclair Community 
College's financial aid office, said, "I believe that the current law 
unfairly singles out a class of individuals who have already paid 
their debt to society through fines, imprisonment or service to the community."

The law denies aid to drug offenders but not to rapists, murderers or 
sexual predators, Wiesenauer said.

"The allegation that this law unfairly discriminates against the poor 
is also valid," she said. "Wealthy folks who are not in need of 
financial assistance to attend college are in no way penalized for 
their past indiscretions. They can simply pay their tuition and be 
about their business."

About 14 million Americans apply for financial aid annually, and the 
ACLU estimates that the law -- passed by Congress in 2000 -- has 
blocked aid to hundreds of thousands of would-be students.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in South Dakota. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake