Bola Majekobaje is only a University senior, but she’s already worried about the next generation’s future in higher education.
She fears that if drug offenders’ convictions put them at a disadvantage for education, their futures will be filled with “poverty, welfare and inequality.” Majekobaje and about a half dozen other Oregon Students of Color Coalition members rallied outside the EMU Amphitheater Wednesday afternoon to protest a federal law denying financial aid to students with drug convictions. The rally was part of a “day of action” sponsored by student groups at Oregon and California public universities advocating the repeal of the Higher Education Act drug provision.
“We want to get the attention of people passing by … to pass House Resolution 786 to repeal the Higher Education Act drug provision,” OSCC board member Mario Sifuentez said.
As the Higher Education Act currently stands, students with drug-related offenses are ineligible for federal financial aid if they answer “yes” to a question on the Free Application for Student Financial Aid asking if they have been convicted of a drug offense. This year, if a student even skips that question on the form, they can lose aid.
OSCC opposes the law because the group believes it unfairly targets students of color and low-income students.
“Out of the 13 percent of the nation’s population that is African American, 13 percent of them are reported for drug use, yet 55 percent of the total (population) in jail for drug offenses is black,” he said, quoting Oregon Student Association figures.
This year alone, it is estimated 60,000 students were denied the opportunity to advance to higher education because of the drug provision, OSCC board member Oscar Arana said.
Arana, a junior, said the government should “give all students the opportunity to go to college” rather than denying aid to students who need it most.
Majekobaje said the provision punishes students twice for the same crime. First, students are punished by the judicial system, she said, and then they are punished by the Higher Education Act when they lose financial aid. Peers joined her in front of “Educate, not Incarcerate” posters outside the EMU to plead their case. They also passed out cards for students to sign encouraging Rep. David Wu, D-Portland, to co-sponsor HR 786.
OSCC will take the cards to a meeting with the United States Student Association in March, where students from across with country will discuss education policy issues with senators. University OSCC members’ goal is to get 2000 cards signed before the event, Arana said.
By noon Wednesday, students had collected nearly 300 cards.