President Joe Biden’s decision to erase thousands of dollars in student loan debt was seen by many as a necessary measure to help the thousands of college students and graduates bogged down by debt and the student loan crisis. But while the move may help those borrowers stay afloat, it won’t stop them from drowning — and it ignores the reason so many students struggle to afford college in the first place.
Every year, millions of children from lower-income families in America are denied a high-quality K-12 education that can prepare them for success beyond high school — if they graduate from high school at all. Graduates of low-income public schools are half as likely to graduate from college than their counterparts in high-income public schools. And, just this week, data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals disadvantaged students bore the brunt of the harm from pandemic-related school closures, pushing them further behind academically and expanding the opportunity gap.
For many, this gap means college will always be out of reach. That’s why Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness is such a hard pill to swallow, even for Democrats like me who may agree with the president on other issues. How can the Democratic Party fight for those who were harmed by the student loan industry but do nothing to ensure children from lower-income families have a fair shot at making it to college in the first place?
Unlike most of my college peers, I come from a low-income household. Growing up, many of my public school teachers predicted I would never graduate from high school, let alone college. Sadly, many of my teachers placed their faith in studies and statistics instead of me.
Both of my parents were addicted to drugs when I was born and for much of my life. My grandmother, whom I now call mom, adopted me and my siblings despite the financial difficulties and her disability. She tried her best to make ends meet but was forced to rely upon government assistance. Sometimes, that meant we went without electricity or running water.
Despite such limitations, my mom believed that a good education could help us overcome any obstacle. So, instead of sending us to the failing public schools we were zoned for, my mother opted for magnet schools. I started to fall behind due to in-home factors, bullying, and a lack of resources. I was sent to an alternative school to catch up. My academic and behavioral situation worsened there, but one teacher saw something in me and fought to make it possible for me to attend a school that changed my life trajectory.
I attended Victory Christian Academy, a private school, thanks to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, one of the nation’s largest and oldest school choice programs. I went from failing grades, being suspended, and getting into fights at former schools to graduating with honors and building strong relationships with my peers and teachers. Despite sobering statistics and realities, I went on to become the first in my family to graduate with a four-year college degree.
Many Democrats care about being the voice of the underdog and the party of the people. SNAP, WIC, Social Security, and so many other benefits that kept food on my table and a roof over my head as a child have been expanded by Democrats. But now, these same lawmakers actively fight against efforts to expand educational choice in the school system, with grievous consequences for low-income families like mine.
Unlike many of the politicians voted into office, I have experienced poverty firsthand. And unlike many politicians, my family did not have the means to send me to the private school that worked for me. I didn’t even start seriously considering college as an option until I went to Victory Christian.
Biden’s official website says he “… will ensure that no child’s future is determined by their zip code, parents’ income, race, or disability.” To attain that goal, school choice must be supported by his administration and the Democratic Party. Every single student, regardless of income or race, deserves a fair chance to get to college in the first place. Then, and only then, can Biden claim his student loan debt cancelation is equitable.
Ashley Elliott is the Future Leaders Fellowship Coordinator at the American Federation for Children and a beneficiary of Florida’s Tax Credit Scholarship Program. She recently graduated with a degree in history from the University of Central Florida.
