The Georgetown University Student Association voted Tuesday to join a group of student governments that affects student financial aid.
The Coalition for Higher Education Act Reform calls for the repeal of the provision of the 1998 HEA that denies college financial aid to students with drug convictions.
The groups claims the provision will prevent access to education and will negatively impact only poor and middle class students. The group also claims the law will disproportionately deny education opportunities to minorities and women, groups that are most commonly convicted for drug offenses.
“Substance abuse among our young people is a serious national problem, but blocking the path to education is an inappropriate response,” according to a publication of the Coalition.
The Coalition asks members of Congress to support a repeal of the subsection of the HEA that denies federal financial aid to those convicted of drug offenses.
