The Higher Education Act Drug Provision

1
The Higher Education Act Drug Provision

• Turning the War on Drugs
• into a
• War on Education

2

• SSDP leads the student movement to repeal the HEA
  Drug Provision
• SSDP is part of the Coalition for Higher
  Education Act Reform, or CHEAR
• SSDPs efforts have been covered extensively in
  the Media
• More than 110 Student Governments passed
  resolutions calling for repeal

3
The Drug Provisions Daddy

• This provision was added to the Higher Education
  Act in 1998 by Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN)

4
Impact

• Since its inception in 1998, the HEA Drug
  Provision has already denied aid to over 157,000
  students
• This doesnt count those who were deterred from
  applying because they knew they would be denied
  aid

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Whats wrong with the Drug Provision?

• Its racist
• Punishes students twice for the same crime
• Only affects the poor and middle class
• Only increases the harms associated with
  substance abuse
  
• 
  details

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Racism

• African Americans comprise 13 percent of the US
  population and 13 percent of all drug users, BUT
  they account for over 55 percent of drug
  convictions.
• Thanks to racial profiling, the HEA Drug
  Provision keeps people of color out of school at
  a higher rate than the general population.

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Punishes twice

• Students who are denied aid because of the Drug
  Provision have already been punished through the
  criminal justice system
• There is absolutely no reason to take away young
  peoples access to education in addition to the
  penalties theyve already received

8
Class warfare

• Students of well-to-do families dont need to
  worry about losing access to school because of
  drugs
• They can likely afford to pay for tuition without
  public aid
• They can also usually afford to hire lawyers to
  avoid convictions altogether.

9
Misguided policy

• When a young person gets into trouble with drugs,
  the last thing we should do is prevent them from
  working towards achieving a higher education
• The Drug Provision simply pushes students back
  toward the streets, where they are more likely to
  continue their involvement with drugs

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A solution H.R. 685

• H.R. 685, a bill in the US House of
  Representatives, would repeal the HEA Drug
  Provision
• Introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA),
  the bill currently has 70 cosponsors in the House

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Organizational support

• The Coalition for Higher Education Act Reform
  (CHEAR) was formed in opposition to the Drug
  Provision. Member organizations include
• ACLU, NAACP, American Association of People with
  Disabilities, Association for Addiction
  Professionals, National Association for Public
  Health Policy, National Association of Student
  Financial Aid Administrators, United States
  Student Association

12
The Media is On Our Side

• There have been thousands of local and national
  newspaper stories about SSDP and the HEA Drug
  Provision
• CNN, MSNBC, MTV and many local news stations
  interview SSDP activists about the HEA Drug
  Provision

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SSDP Campaign Strategy

• Garner Campus, Media and Legislative Support
• Persuade Student and Faculty Government,
  University Chancellor to Endorse Repeal
• Submit op-ed or Letters to the Editor Demanding
  Repeal
• Lobby your Senators and Congressman for Repeal
• Work with your university administration to
  replace financial aid to HEA Victims

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Vehicles for Repeal

• ONDCP re-authorization
• The Higher Education Act should be re-authorized
  this year
• Second Chance Act

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John W. Perry Scholarship Fund

• SSDP, along with the Drug Reform Coordination
  Network (DRCNet) has established a scholarship
  fund to help victims of the Drug Provision attend
  school.
• If you know anyone who has been denied aid
  because of a drug conviction, LET SSDP NATIONAL
  KNOW!

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• It is up to us, the students, to be the leading
  voices calling for repeal of the HEA Drug
  Provision a misguided policy that directly
  targets us