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. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake