Heather HigginBottom's Stale Suggestions: Same Ole Sorry Message

The White House is spitting out the same ole sorry message about how they are helping student loan debtors.The focus remains on prospective students.

Heather HigginBottom, the Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shares the latest suggestions from the White House (assess and view her comments below). She responded to a young woman who has student loan debt and four children. The young woman wrote to President Obama about her student loan debt. The note did not indicate what sort of loans she has, so that makes the message problematic. Ms. Higginbottom let her know that they are committed to making college more affordable. Wow! Great. Because we've never heard the White House talk about prospective students. Shortly after she talked about all the awesome things they're doing for future college students, Ms. Higginbottom turned to the woman's current situation. She encouraged her to look into consolidating her loans and IBR. Those things are fine, but again what if the woman has private loan debt? IBR is of no use. Moreover, if the woman were to go into default, she would no longer be a candidate for these programs. But Ms. Higginbottom really didn't have much else to suggest. Luckily, she returned to speaking about prospective students and all the wonderful things they're doing for them, and how this woman can be assured that her 4 children will have opportunities to go to college, and take on their own student loan debt. Whoopdeedoo. Ms. Higginbottom, you are ignoring the indentured educated class, but why am I surprised?

Turning War Veterans Into Indentured Educated Citizens

Regardless of the critics going after Sen. Harkin, I will continue to applaud him for his recent efforts to combat the for-profits. At least someone on the Hill is fighting for a portion of the indentured educated class. Of course, the problem goes way beyond the for-profits, and that is where Sen. Harkin's focus falls short. The student lending crisis encompasses the non-profits, too. It must also be emphasized that the problem is inter-generational. Of course, it is important to point out that minorities and the poor are the ones who carry the heaviest burden of debt, and they are easily targeted by the for-profits. Sadly, there is another group that these schools are going after: war veterans. There have been several pieces (for example, see here) that discuss war veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, enrolling in for-profits, and finding themselves drowning in a sea of student loan debt.

I was recently in touch with a veteran who attended a non-profit school. While this person was a soldier in Iraq, their loans went into default. This occurred despite their efforts to get in touch with their lender to inform them that they were going to war. These are issues that ought to be investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, and as far as I am aware, no such thing is happening. How can we do this to soldiers who fight for the United States of America? How can we rip off any American who only wishes to better their lives through higher education? Here is yet another sad example of how we've lost our way - American is downgrading itself. Higher education is all about the bucks, and as a result it has become corrupted in the most sickening of ways.

Here's what the veteran had to say:

I was a music major at NMSU during the 2000-2001 academic year. During this period I had no choice but to take out one Stafford loan, and one Perkins loan, totaling about $5500, to cover my tuition and expenses for two semesters. I only had the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship for one semester, and at that time it barely covered half of the tuition, and a $500 a semester music scholarship, plus the minimum Pell Grant. During the Fall 2001 semester I withdrew from school, left the NM Army National Guard, and went into the regular Army, after the events of 9/11.

I somehow had my loans deferred while I spent my first year of service in Korea (2002-2003), I do not remember how. After my year in Korea, I was back in the US, but three months later I was deployed to Iraq(2003-2004). Before I deployed, I contacted NMEAF (the lender, now known as New Mexico Student Loans) and informed them I was going to be deployed to Iraq, and may not be able to make payments. I sent them a copy of my orders, which said I would be gone for 6 months to a year. I informed them I would most likely be deployed for a year. To my surprise 6 months later, I received some mail from my grandfather including a letter from NMEAF that my loans were in default and that the US Department of Education had consolidated them.

I thought this wasn't too big of a deal. When I returned home, I checked on how much I owed. The amount was a lot more than I expected. Apparently one of the loans accrued over a thousand in fees. My total was now roughly $7200. I wonder how much I would have owed had my loans stayed in deferment.

If this war veteran is unable to get out of default, the fees will make the debt astronomical. I've reviewed enough documents and listened to enough stories to know that a reasonable amount of debt can balloon once in default.  And while this amount of debt may seem minuscule by a lot of people's standards, I know of many cases in which similarly small principal balances ran into the tens of thousands (and more) once the default machine was set into motion.

 

Good-Bye Korea, Hello Home - plus the best present ever (AEM, Inc!)

Annyeong Korea!

It's Christmas Eve in Korea. I have no Christmas tree. I have no lights. I have no new dog. I just shipped the puppy-pooch off to the vet for 10 days this morning. I will be boarding a plane and coming home in a matters of days.

But you know what? It's time. It's high time.

I say that, but then I think about leaving Korea, leaving the kids, leaving the great friends . . . 

I was looking forward to having my little apartment filled with good cheer and good food, good barks and good laughs. But that wasn't in the works, and that's fine. I'll see my dog again stateside, and I won't lose touch with the special people here. Plus, I have my health and a wonderful spouse. I have also forged significant and long-lasting relationships here, one of which has changed my life in ways I never thought possible. On top of having the best female friend ever  - she's charming, witty, and British! (kinda) - we have become co-authors of a fantastic book. I know the editor who winds up publishing it for us will be the luckiest gal alive, aside from me.

Hello Home

So I'm returning to the land of the grim. Increased poverty. Stagnating wages. Outrageous Bush-era tax cuts. A President who doesn't seem to care about issues that matter to most Americans. But it's time that we stop thinking of America in that way. We're all right about feeling down on America: it is grim and it sucks right now, especially because a lot people who are running the country are tone deaf. People are hurting and in terrible ways. That is why I don't want a soul to feel bad that I'm crying like a water faucet on full blast at the moment. Because my tears are for the great things and the good people I'll be leaving behind (especially Abi). I'd names others, but I don't want them to freak out, and I'm not sure about their privacy wishes. But to the friends I've made here, and who I will miss sorely, you know who you are. You have been supportive, fun, and genuine. I look forward to seeing all of you back in the states.

The sadness that I'm reading in emails from you, well, that's different from what I'm experiencing. The need for a voice, for change, that's what I hear you demanding through your despairing notes. That's why it's time for me to return.

We're going to make this work. I'm determined.

I've made thousands of connections across the U.S. I'm in contact with hundreds of you on a regular basis. You are talented, smart, capable. On top of that, you want things to be better, and you want it now. We need to stop letting D.C. decide that the focus should only be on 'prospective' students. That's bullshit. We need to let them know who we are. That's why I am intent on opening an office in D.C. The decisions are made when you're in that swamp of a city, and I'm willing to sweat it out.  

It's Christmas Eve and bitterly cold, but I am filled with good cheer. I've been in touch with a number of my Board Members already about my imminent return, and we've been discussing ways in which we can move forward.

AEM, Inc. is the best present I could have received on this very special, yet odd Christmas, and if it weren't for your generous donations, we wouldn't even be a non-profit. There you have it: AEM is a wonderful gift, and I want to thank all of you for making it real.

Now it's time to get down to business. Grant time, friends. Legal defense fund time. All of this will lead us to establishing an office and a presence in D.C. It's time to get busier and to get things accomplished for the indentured educated class.

Happy Holidays to all of you (non-believers and believers alike). Most importantly, Abi and husband, thanks for being the best gal pal and husband ever.

"Let's see who's up next. Oh . . . Cryn. Her readers and volunteers have given her AEM, Inc. as a gift, and her friends are offering her genuine support and love. Splendid presents!"

Willing to speak up about suicide for the indentured educated class?

I am in touch with someone at CNN who is interested in my research on suicide and student loan debtors. They want to move forward with this story, but they would like someone to publicly admit that their student loan debt has made them contemplate or attempt suicide. I realize that it's asking a lot, but if you are willing to have the courage to speak out and on television about these feelings, we could get this story on CNN.

If you are willing to discuss it, please let me know ASAP. I can be reached by email (ccrynjohannsen @ gmail DOT com).

A Former Law Student Confesses: "I think about jumping from the 27th floor of my office building every day."

As most of you know, I am currently working on an article about suicide and student loan debt. Earlier this week, Matt Stannard from Shared Sacrifice interviewed me about the subject.

Since that interview, I've received a few posts from people who have informed me that they fully intend to off themselves (see the most recent comments here and here). As a result of these disturbing posts, I have asked many of you to come out in support of struggling individuals, and tell them that nothing - not even Everest-sized mountains of student loan debt -  ought to lead them to committing suicide. Thanks to all of you who have posted comments of support so far. Trust me, it helps. Several people have told me that if it weren't for me - and others who are raising holy hell about the student lending crisis - they would have killed themselves long ago. So please, if you haven't posted something supportive, think about doing it now. You never know, your own story about feeling similarly could safe a life.

So many people are hurting, and so many people are thinking about killing themselves. These people aren't crazy. Far from it. They are approaching their indebtedness from a rational perspective, and sadly suicide seems like a viable choice. That's not out of the norm. When there are severe economic downturns, people often turn to drastic measures to get out of a  hopeless predicament. Financial ruin leads many healthy people to an early grave, and quite often it's from their own hand. As Barbara Ehrenreich stated quite frankly in an article from 2008 entitled, "Suicide Spreads as One Solution to the Debt Crisis," when people feel backed up against a wall, it's only natural for them to say, "Just shoot me!" At that time, many people who found their homes being repossessed chose to proclaim, "I'll just shoot myself!"

After listening to my interview, a reader let me know that they contemplate jumping from the 27th floor of their work every day. 

Here's what they wrote:

Cryn, I listened to your interview and cried for hours. I graduated from law school with honors back in 2003 and never found a job as an attorney. I've worked a bunch of odd jobs the last 7 years just to survive. I've been a retail worker, a call center worker, a housekeeper, a dishwasher, and a temp - seriously, it seems like I've been everything except what I went to school for! I know my life is ruined and that I will never be a practicing attorney. I get it, really I do. After all, I'm around attorneys 24/7 in my current job and they look down their noses at me or else just ignore me. I am a loser and no one wants to be around a loser or else they might become one to. I try to remind myself that my life wasn't always like this - that people used to like me and that I had a lot going for me in college and even law school. However, after years of being snubbed and treated so terribly, I have learned to be as invisible as possible and to keep to myself. I'm sure that gives everyone at work a good laugh - then they can say I'm anti-social or not good with people and therefore not attorney material.

I could live without being a practicing attorney but what I can't get over is the fact I ruined my life by borrowing $100,000 to go to law school. I thought I was making a really good investment in myself because I believed in myself back then. I knew I would do well in school, and I guess I thought I would get a job and be able to pay back my loans. How incredibly wrong I turned out to be. Even if I am able to get out of student loan debt, I will be starting over from scratch. Zero savings. Zero retirement. Zero career options.

Every day I think about jumping out the 27th floor window of the office building where I am currently working to escape the mess I have made of my life. I am in so deep now, there is no way out. I used to keep myself up at night thinking about how I would ever pay my student loans off, but now I keep myself up at night, wondering if this is really how the next 30 years of my life will be - always moving from one dead-end job to the next, always being looked down at by attorneys (and even non-attorneys when they find out I'm an attorney but not working as one), always feeling so sick to my stomach that I can't hardly even eat anymore. I used to worry about starving to death if I couldn't afford to buy food if I never found a job, but now I don't have to worry about that because I have no appetite! Maybe I will just wither away and finally be put out of my misery. I really don't think I can keep doing this for another 7 years, let alone the rest of my life. I don't know what to do. While I haven't completely given up, I don't think it's that far around the corner. . .

I'm sorry this is long and depressing, but it's nice to get this all out. I am not asking anyone to forgive my student loans; I fully intend to pay back every last cent I borrowed. I just want to feel like all of my hard work and sacrifice was worth it, instead of always feeling humiliated, embarrassed, ashamed, bitter and angry. I'm so tired of feeling this way - I just want the pain to go away. Thanks for listening. 

As Matt Stannard asked, and I'll reiterate, how many people aren't reaching out to me? How many people will wither away, jump from buildings, or drink themselves to death because of their debt?

 "No More Anything" by Yulonda Rosio

Debt And Suicide: Interview On Shared Sacrifice

Yesterday evening I was interviewed by Matt Stannard at Shared Sacrifice. Our focus was student loan debt and suicide. If you weren't able to tune in last night, you can listen to the recording here.

Thanks again, Matt and Shared Sacrifice!

Former For-Profit Instructor Shares

I've been on a for-profit kick lately (see my previous posts entitled, "Screw U" and "Sordid Relationships And Broken Promises: Kaplan University's Troubling Relationship To The Washington Post"). While I think we shouldn't lose focus on the larger student lending crisis and culpability of the non-profit institutions in this mess, it's just too easy to beat these places up! There. I said it. But let's be honest, they suck and they are by virtue of their nature evil. I do wish to clarify that point, however. I am not necessarily suggesting that the teachers at these schools don't do a good job, and I know plenty of highly intelligent people who obtained degrees from such institutions. Nevertheless, the for-profit industry is a sham and it should be shut down.

Here's another heartwarming tale, this time from a former instructor, about what it's like to work at a for-profit:

I went to and was later hired on as an instructor at a for-profit career school, and this is what I saw, as briefly as I can tell it:

As a student, my experience was actually quite good; a couple of years later, however, saw the place taken on by new ownership, and that's when all the games began. . .

First, they took over several classrooms and converted them to admissions offices. That seemed weird from the outset, but then shortly thereafter there was a staff meeting where they wanted each instructor to give them five ideas on how we could increase the size of the student body by 25% a year over the next five years. I refused to participate, and got written up because I told them that (a) this was an unreasonable goal, and it seemed like they were expecting the phenomenal growth of some stocks to be transferable to our situation; (b) there wasn't any place to put any more students, as they had just converted all of the 'extra' classrooms to admissions 'counselor' offices.


Anyway, the second thing that started to become apparent was that they were no longer testing applicants before they allowed them to enroll; I could no longer believe that a good 30% of my students had managed to graduate from high school, and the basic computer skills that were allegedly required also seemed to be optional as well. This was a huge problem for an instructor who was supposed to be effectively teaching 30 students how to program computers, and yet I was now forced to teach basic Windows stuff like saving files (I shit you not!) to these poor unprepared students while the rest of the class grew increasingly frustrated. Guess who got yelled at when they complained?!? I wasn't allowed to send them back to the admissions (SALES) people for placement in an alternate program or to send them home until they got the prerequisite knowledge, so there was nothing I could do. Sadly, the slower students monopolized the class and that, in turn, slowed down my instruction, and I finally had to talk some of the faster students into tutoring them in exchange for extra credit in order to get anything accomplished.

Next, I found out the hard way that an instructor who gave grades based upon actual merit was going to get in trouble if a student (or his or her parents) didn't like the grade he or she received. I was ordered to re-evaluate several grades each class by my program director, and to give re-tests to students who had done poorly and felt the tests hadn't been 'fair.' I even failed a student for cheating - not once, but twice - after I had called him on it and told him what the consequence would be if he chose to do it again. He did, and I followed through. That was until his father called and threw a fit, threatening to sue. I had to let the student re-take the final exam and resubmit any assignment where he didn't like the grade he got, followed by being forced to apologize to the kid and his father and listen to the father tell me what crappy 'customer service' skills I possessed. The director just stood there, and told him that it wouldn't happen again; later, I was shocked when he didn't even try to apologize to me for having to fall on my sword like that, and when he told me that I should try to 'overlook' such matters in the future for the good of all concerned. What about the honest students?!?!? Letting the assholes who knew that complaining would let them slide through get away with it was a slap in the face to everyone else, and most importantly it would devalue the certificates awarded by the school over time as the news got out that straight A's didn't mean squat from our institution anymore.


Finally, a few former students sued when they couldn't find jobs after graduating. They claimed that they had been led to believe that the school had promised them that they would get them a job, and that all they got was just a 'career resource center.' This was true, to a point, because they changed their language in the sales pitch to 'career placement assistance' from 'job placement' - but someone will hear what they want to hear, especially when the emphasis can be placed differently by individual salespeople. Taken along with the hard sell, it was misleading, in my opinion, and probably deliberately so.

I left that job after just under a year, and went to the corporate training world, which had its own issues, but at least I didn't feel like I was ripping off the students . . . 


Shocking, right?

Screw U

Here's yet another damning clip about for-profits. Please share this post with as many people as you can. The problem, in my view, is bigger than just the for-profits. However, their tactics are despicable and the industry should be obliterated.

Mass Suicide?

Earlier this year J. Devoy raised the question of mass suicide among debtors in a piece entitled (yeah, you guessed it), "Would mass suicide affect student loan practices?"

The title is more than just a little worrisome, especially since I am currently writing a piece on the topic of suicide and suicidal thoughts among student loan debtors. Moreover, the number of emails I am receiving from desperate and suicidal individuals is terrifying. I've discussed the possibility of revolting en masse, and that's good when it comes to collective action. But nobody these days gives a crap about that on the Hill. However, collective suicide should be getting the attention of policymakers. But is it or would it? Probably not. They're too busy cutting deals for the rich. Who gives a shit about the poor and the indentured? Yeah. To hell with us. And I want to thank Roberto Rodriguez for caring  about the indentured educated class, too. Thanks, buddy. It's great to know that you care about our voice. Go. You.

At least Bernie Sanders gives a damned. We have one person inside the Beltway who hasn't been deafened by the roaring motors of lobbyists and cha-ching.

Here's a recap of my previous work on suicide:

-"Suicide Among Debtors: Who's Thought About It?" 

- "For The Indentured Educated Class, Suicidal Thoughts Are Not Merely An Individual Problem"

- "Addendum To The Recent Post On Suicide" 

- "Suicide"

If You Have Borrowed from Sallie Mae Please Read Immediately: Arthur, et al. v. Sallie Mae, Inc.

If your lender is Sallie Mae, I encourage you to read this page carefully. One of my readers sent it to me, and I wish to thank them for that. There might be a settlement against Sallie Mae. Here are a few details about possible class members:

You may be a Class Member if, on or after October 27, 2005 to September 14, 2010, you received a call to a cellular telephone through the use of automated telephone equipment from Sallie Mae or any other affiliate or subsidiary of SLM Corporation.
 

True? 12% of Harvard Business Grad Failing to Repay Their Loans.

So I hear. That's what the wonderful EduBubble recently wrote about. What's worse? Those who went to other business schools (as mentioned in the original article that EduBubble cites)! Also, only 27% of Kaplan students are making their loan payments.

When you think about that paltry percentage and the recent story I wrote, it's beyond cringe worthy.

Biggest Fear: Dying In Some Urine Drenched Old Folks Home

When working on the topic of death, in this case suicidal thoughts expressed by student loan debtors, it seems inevitable that my own thoughts have turned to imagining my own mortality.

While I do not share the thoughts of those who, sadly, have felt suicidal because of their debt (in one case, as readers will see, a man did decide to take his own life), I certainly am facing a huge fear: dying as an indentured educated servant.

When I was quite young my grandmother suffered from a severe stroke that left her unable to speak for the next 8 years of her life. She lost the ability to move her right arm, and lived in nursing homes the rest of her life. At the end of her life, she wound up in a nursing home that smelled of urine and dirty laundry. Once we arrived in her room, I was terrified by the fact that her roommate, who had short, blueish-gray hair, was covered in urine. Or so it seemed.

That is what I fear the most. Winding up in some despicable nursing home that smells of urine, alone, and still owing interest to the bastards.

Research On Suicide: More Testimonials Needed

I am researching student loan debt and a debtor's suicidal thoughts. A few people have offered to share testimonials about their thoughts on suicide with me. However, I would like to gather more stories. I realize that it's not easy to discuss, but your stories are what makes the student lending crisis matter. Collectively, we are creating public discourse from the perspective of the debtor, and that's critical.

I urge you to share your story with me (ccrynjohannsen AT gmail.com).

Quick Post: Personal Take On My Time In South Korea

Many of my readers encouraged me to start a blog about my experiences in South Korea. So, if you're interested you can read my latest piece entitled, "Thanksgiving And War ."

Suicide

I am sending another draft to the New England Journal of Higher Education, and hope they will be interested in this next piece on suicide (they recently published an article I wrote about student loan debtors with health problems). They are a great crew of individuals, and I'm glad that we're forging a positive, working relationship.

I've written a lot about suicide, and have a sad story to share about a father who recently told me that if it weren't for his daughters - who are also indentured educated servants - he'd kill himself. I got pretty choked up by his confession.

In any event, if you are willing to share your story about being suicidal because of your student loan debt, please send me an email (ccrynjohannsen AT gmail.com). Also, if you know of someone who committed suicide as a result of their student loan debt, I'd like to hear your story. All people will remain anonymous.

It is a bleak subject, but it is one that needs to be discussed.

On that rather dark note, I do wish each and everyone of you a happy Thanksgiving. I didn't think we'd be having turkey, but we're getting two from an army base in Seoul. So enjoy this day.

Sordid Relationships And Broken Promises: Kaplan University's Troubling Financial Relationship To The Washington Post

 . . . lie to you. Yours truly, Kaplan University

A former high-ranking employee named David Goodstein at Kaplan University alleges that students who were enrolled in a surgical-technology program were misled and lured into taking coursework that would only leave them saddled with student loan debt, and with no prospects of actually graduating. Most of the students were minorities between the ages of 19 and 28.

"They were sold a bill of goods. It's one thing to offer a difficult program, but these students had no chance of finishing [their coursework]. In the end they have all this student loan debt from now until the grave. For what reason? So the Washington Post can be wealthier?" The Post is owned by Kaplan.

After completing three terms of intensives classes, the students were then required to enter an externship. Goodstein alleges that these externships did not exist, and that Kaplan willfully committed fraud. "There was a large backlog of students waiting for externships. On the last day of their third term, they were finally informed that there were no openings."

The school sold a program they knew the students would never be able to graduate from.

This poses problems for this particular Kaplan campus, which is apparently under investigation by the U.S. government. However, Goodstein could not receive confirmation from government employees at the state's Department of Education.

When higher education institutions receive Federal Student Aid packages from the U.S. government, under Title IV, they sign what is called a Program Participation Agreement (PPA). In so doing, they agree to abide by detailed regulations. When it comes to offering specific programs, the institutions must ensure that all the necessary components for such programs are made available so that students can successfully graduate.

In this case, Kaplan willfully failed to disclose the fact that there were an insufficient number of externships. "In my view, every time they got someone to sign up for this program, they were committing fraud."

Goodstein has worked for several other for-profit institutions and concluded, "These schools are the greediest [places] I've ever encountered. I don't care which school you're talking about, they are all profit-driven."

It also turns out that the Kaplan campus Goodstein worked at is located in a major metropolitan city with fifty or more hospitals. It would perhaps be safe to assume that most of these students could easily find themselves working on their externship in the last term of their intensive program. However, that was not the case. Goodstein explains, "For complicated reasons, like liability issues, most of these hospitals don't want these students. Moreover, those who do want students in the operating room and who are dedicated to this type of hands-on education would use their own students. So it was very difficult for these students to find externships."

It gets worse. If students did not land externships, they could not graduate from the program. Given Mr. Y's evidence, not to mention the hundreds of student loan debtors whom I advocate for and who have shared similar stories with me, it is hard to accept the recent claims that Kaplan's Post Company chairman, Donald Graham, recently made in a NYT article entitled, "Scrutiny Takes Toll on For-Profit College Company." Graham contends that for-profit schools like Kaplan are serving an important role in helping lower-income students, particularly minority students.

Mr. Graham argued, "We purchased colleges that served mostly poor students, and we embraced that role . . . For students with risk factors, older working students with children, Kaplan has dramatically better graduation rates than community colleges."

So these students graduate and end up with a pile of student loan debt and no prospects. Mr. Graham conveniently avoids discussing that point.

Goodstein also argues that these schools are "the darling of Wall Street."

He added, "they are driven by the bottom line. That means they would not turn away students. For example, in 2007 they earned $6 million from this program. So they fill all the classes they can, and that means more and more students are sitting by the wayside."

By 2006 the number of dropouts had increased to such a degree that this particular Kaplan campus was at risk of losing accreditation. At this point they received a letter from the state's Department of Education inquiring about the issue. That is why they are presumably under investigation.

Goodstein said, "In November of that year the school went nuts, because the state can shut you down in a heartbeat. Their end result was to follow a number of different alternatives. Their first solution was to bribe hospitals, that is they would pay a hospital between $5000 and $10000 to take on their students in externships."

Then in 2008 the program suddenly ended.

Furthermore, Goodstein believes that Jeff Conlon, the President of Kaplan Higher Education Campuses , was fully aware of these problems. "He knew about dropouts every single week. We called them 'the drops,' which was his biggest nemesis. Live students were what he wanted. If they dropped out, he saw them as dollar bills walking out the door. No one can tell me Conlon did not know what was going on."

Even worse, the Washington Post plays a role in this situation, too. That is why there is an absolute conflict of interest - something  I've written about already -  when they allow Michelle Singletary to write pieces about student loans.

More questions remain: what about all the students they misled? What has happened to them? Why hasn't the Department of Education done anything to help these students who were grossly misled by Kaplan? It seems the wrong people are paying a heavy price, but that is how it goes when it comes to the current stories that illustrate the student lending crisis. The students get screwed, the Department of Education turns a blind eye, and the bad guys (yes, they are bad guys) continue to get away with bad deeds. In the end, it is all about the big bucks, and the government has failed to do anything to stop it.

The New England Board of Higher Education

If you haven't read my latest piece, click on this link. I want to thank the New England Board of Higher Education again for publishing my piece about student loan debtors with health problems.

'Shocking' News

Kelly Field over at the Chronicle wrote an article that indicates Education Department may have made an error in reporting default rates. Yeah. And get this. They are most likely higher than previously thought. See? I knew you'd be shocked!

Good news! Jon Oberg Settles Case: Nelnet And Other Lenders Must Pay U.S. Government $57.8 Million

I've written about Jon Oberg on several occasions. He's the Department of Education's G-man, and he has just settled a big case against Nelnet and other lenders. That's some great news for the indentured educated class.

If you want to read through the history of my own work about him, here are the links:

- "Reading Between The Lines: How Sallie Mae's 'Forward Looking' Report May Screw Us, And In A Big Way"

- "Our Dept. of Ed Gman Is Doing Something Heroic For Us!"

- "The Resurrection of Dept. of Education Gman And America's Collective Trauma" 

Sordid Relationships And Broken Promises: Kaplan University's Troubling Financial Relationship To The Washington Post

This forthcoming piece is going to be a good one. I just submitted it to the HuffPost, and it should be up in a few days. My goal is to circulate this article as much as possible, because it shows just how rotten these for-profits are.

For-profits remind me of funnel web spiders, and both can be quite aggressive when provoked. While the spiders kill their prey, the for-profits like to lure in their victims with bullshit promises and then destroy their lives. If you talk to even a handful of students who've  been caught in their webs, they might as well be considered dead. One thing is for sure, their souls have been wrecked.

Here's the most shocking correlation between for-profits and funnel web spiders: I despise both of them! I know, you're surprised by that, aren't you? 

Stay tuned for the actual piece, and help me spread the word about these predatory institutions.

Thoughts On Shame: Michelle Singletary, The Washington Post, And Kaplan University

I am in the midst of writing a piece for the HuffPost about the sordid relationship between the Washington Post and Kaplan University. On a similar note, I've taken issue with Michelle Singletary at the Post on many occasions, and most recently it was in a piece regarding Jesse Jackson's decision to be a sell out and support for-profits. Singletary, on the other hand, performs an even more dubious role at the Post.

She loves to write these sickening stories about how people - actually one couple at her church - got out of student loan debt, and even worse, she recently discussed new initiatives related to student loan reform and higher education funding. In that particular piece, I wrote: "To make matters worse, you have Michelle Singletary at the WP. Oh, yeah, she's a so-called expert on this topic. She's calling for an increase in Pell Grants. I call that a huge conflict of interest."

While writing this forthcoming article about the Post and Kaplan's fraudulent activities, I became angrier about the situation. Moreover, the information upon which I am relying comes directly from a source who used to work at Kaplan. This person was not a low-level telemarketer or recruiter (although those individuals have mountains of evidence, too, so I am not dismissing the tales they could also tell). Instead, the individual played a significant role on one of Kaplan's screw-job campuses.

It's going to a a must-read for those of you who follow my work. The Post and Ms. Singletary should be ashamed of themselves. Frankly, I don't know how that woman sleeps at night. But then again I don't know how a lot of people sleep at night.

Yet Another Letter To Roberto Rodriguez

We've kicked off the next letter writing campaign, and I've sent all the volunteers the first draft that will be sent out via email to Mr. Roberto Rodriguez in about 3 days. Hopefully the White House will actually respond this time. We'll see . . .

Also, if you would like to join this letter writing campaign, there is still time to do so. However, you must email me ASAP (ccrynjohannsen AT gmail.com) and let me know you'd like to be added. Just copy and paste the following message - "I'd like to be a part of your next letter writing campaign for Nov. 18th 2010" - into the subject line, and you'll receive the rough draft version.

If I don't hear from you by November 16th, you're out of luck this time. But don't worry, there will be plenty of opportunities to let your voice be heard.

We must never forget: volunteering is, indeed, sexy.

Sponsorship - only a matter of time (and also expressing thanks)

I wish to express thanks to my amazing readers who offer their talents, and continue to volunteer regularly for All Education Matters (AEM). I know that they have bills to pay, families to feed, and must also contend with their own personal travails. These people remind me of why I am proud to be an American. Their efforts are the best gift that I could ever receive for my upcoming birthday. So, let's all take a moment to thank them.

I am also working on securing sponsorship. I've done this type of work before. However, now it's different because I have an amazing crew of people who have a great deal of knowledge about carrying this out - they are working as hard as they can to make sure this happens. So it's only a matter of time.

On that note, I've raised another $100+ in donations. Thanks to those of you who have donated. Every little bit counts. If you can spare $5-$10, that would mean so much to this recently incorporated non-profit.

An Attorney's Words About Bankruptcy And Student Loan Debt

My readers' comments blow me away. In this pithy comment, this attorney says so much.  In response to one of several pieces I've written on the subject of suicide (see here, here, and here), the reader stated:

As an attorney, I have seen people come and go through bankruptcy discharging everything from plasma screen tv's on their credit cards to gambling markers at a casino. Meanwhile - I struggle to pay my student loans and use all of my forebearances [sic]. I forgo health insurance and a social life because paying for a night out would mean having to deal with more credit card debt. Perhaps it's better to gamble and hope I win and, if I lose, discharge it. I cannot even dream of getting married in my lifetime as I would never want to burden someone else with the debt I am saddled with. Marriage + kids + student loan debt = divorce! 

Many student debtors have expressed similar sentiments to me. One woman recently told me that she planned on breaking up with her long-term boyfriend because she was ashamed of her student loan debt and didn't want him to know how much she owed. Sigh. It sure would be great if we could all get to work on the student lending crisis and solve this absurd problem. Can we stop for a moment and think about the Kafkaesque world we've created for the indentured educated class? (If my previous advisor happened to read this post, she'd croak with the way in which I falsely invoke Kafka in that way. Oh, well, I ain't a super-duper scholar like her).

How many of you are in a job you hate because of your student loan debt?

I am currently writing an article for the New England Journal of Higher Education about the problem of health issues, and covering health costs as an indentured educated servant. The piece includes testimonials from a number of courageous debtors who shared their stories with me, and I am grateful for their willingness to provide intimate details about their personal lives. These tales illuminate the devastating toll that the student lending crisis is taking. One particular story I received deserves further mention here. It comes from a young woman who, like so many of you, believed and was told that a college degree would ensure that she would make a good living and be able to enjoy a good life.

I read the story yesterday while an older taxi driver whisked me to work in Korea, and it was difficult not to cry (but I didn't want the old taxi driver to feel uncomfortable, not that he would have even noticed. Koreans, at least in public, have a fantastic way of ignoring one another). The email is nearly 7 pages long printed, and I finished it before classes began. Not only does the young woman - let's call her Ms.T - detail her health woes, which will be included in my forthcoming article for the NEJHE, but she also highlights a number of significant societal issues that intersect with the student lending crisis. Her piece was so moving that this post will be the first in a series that will demonstrate how her predicament exemplifies much larger societal problems. 

Ms. T's story includes a little of something that we can all relate to. In 2004 she received her BA in Sociology from USC. After graduating, she had a difficult time finding a job. Thanks to a neighbor's father, she finally found work after 6 months of searching. Sadly, this was not an ideal job. Ms. T explains, "from day one, I hated that job with a passion. It had nothing to do with my hopes or dreams for my future."

Many realists who are job-hunting consultants would claim that Ms. T is foolish in thinking that her degree would allow her to pursue the job of her dreams. While it is true that college students or even job hunters shouldn't limit themselves to searching for jobs that are connected to things they're passionate about (I seriously cringed when writing that), Ms. T's job preferences are not without warrant. She wanted and wants to help people, and work in the non-profit sector. What's so wrong about that? Ms. T is yet another example of someone who wishes to be of service to other Americans, but is unable to do so, because she is an indentured educated servant.

Ms. T continues, "So there I was . . . I had to pay almost $1500 per month on my student loans. I couldn't work at a non-profit organization because I had to survive, you know? And, they don't pay enough. Where would I find money to pay for my rent and housing without a decent wage?"

So here's the question: how many of you are in a job that you hate because of your student loan debt?

All Education Matters Is Making A Difference

Nov.3rd 2010. The day has finally come. Sigh. While I know we're glad the election cycle is over, I'd imagine that a lot of my readers are feeling the same way I do today, and are experiencing the post-election blues. So that means I need to brighten our days with some good news.

Our efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Department of Education is fully aware of Education Matters. A reader, who is an amazing volunteer, recently wrote to me about this fact. He's been on a few phone calls with the Department of Education. He asked me if I could relay any information to them. I said, "yeah, ask them why they haven't bothered reaching out to me." Ms. Wiley seems to have trouble fitting me into her date book, and that's been quite frustrated. She claims that the 13-hour time difference makes it too difficult to speak to me over the phone. I'd say that's a lame excuse. So what did the reader have to say? It's good news on many fronts.

He wrote:

"I spoke with Mr. Turpenoff and Ms. McFadden earlier today. They basically told me that they couldn't do anything for my situation because my big issue is with private loans (although they told me about some options with the govt. loans that I have). They talked to me about the consumer protection division that was created with the health care bill and told me that they are very familiar with the work that you have done. They stated that they have forwarded all of the complaints and concerns to Arne Duncan, but that is all that they can do. They stated that they do know that it is known by Mr. Duncan and the President that the student loan crisis is a big problem, but they don't know what is being done to fix it [my emphasis].

I asked Michael and Ms. McFadden why Wiley had not contacted you and that you sent a new email yesterday. Ms. McFadden stated that she was under the impression that Ms. Wiley and you have been talking. I sent you Michael's direct number in a separate email. He told me that if I ever needed anything to call them back."


I will be getting in touch with Mr. Turpenoff shortly. In the meantime, I will be writing another letter to Debra Wiley, and asking her - once again - why she has failed to respond to my emails and connect with me by phone. In addition, I am drafting a letter to Roberto Rodriguez about the heavy losses the Dems endured yesterday, and also tell him that it's time we had a serious talk about solving the student lending crisis.

I am quite under the weather - I've caught a terrible flu bug of sorts - so bear with me if you don't hear news in the next day or so. Nevertheless, stay tuned. The work continues.

 Hey! Mr. Rodriguez, we've spoken on the phone before. I'm still here, and hope you can still hear me inside the White House.

VOTE

Why? See here.

College Educated Graduates Who Can't Buy Homes And Can't Have Families

Dr. Housing Bubble wrote a piece about recent college educated graduates who can't buy homes, because they must service their student loan debt. It is encouraging to see this type of post, as I too have written about the subject countless times here at Education Matters. This angle ought to make policy makers stop and think critically about the student lending crisis and how it is affecting the health of the housing industry. I mean, clearly they don't give a damned about the personal stories of suffering, so perhaps we should try to raise awareness about this fact. Moreover, those who would like to own homes are also putting off having children. Whether or not you support the idea of procreation isn't the issue here. In these situations people can't have children as a result of being indentured educated servants to the likes of Sallie Mae and Nelnet. So you have a generation of recent grads who have no purchasing power and who, not by choice, will remain childless. How's that for a healthy and robust middle class?

Strayer University Beats Estimates: Because They Care

Yeah, they are doing well, because they CARE. These bastards should be shut down, just like the tobacco industry was. That's my goal.

2012, Poster Will Read: React Against Corporate Higher Education!

All Education Matters is a 501(c)(4)

It's official! All Education Matters (AEM) is now a 501(c)(4) in the state of Delaware. Hooray! I will be providing everyone with our mission statement and list of Board Members shortly.

Addendum To The Recent Post On Suicide

The subject of suicide must be approached with caution and sensitivity, and I want to make it clear that I am sympathetic to those of you who have struggled with suicidal thoughts.

Suicide has been of interest to me lately, precisely because of the desperate emails I've been receiving from indentured educated citizens. My latest piece entitled, "For the Indentured Educated Class, Suicidal Thoughts Are Not Merely A Personal Problem," received a lot of responses, too. I am also asserting that suicide is not merely related to the psychology of specific individuals (that is, of course, a factor), but reflects a larger societal problem as it directly relates to the student lending crisis. In a word, it has sociological implications, and that's why policy makers ought to be paying attention to the matter.

There is something very important that is missing in this conversation, however. I need to clear that up. Are you aware that death provides no discharge in some private loans, and that your co-signer(s) could still be liable? I don't mean to sound insensitive, but want to make this point. Of course, I think suicide is never the answer, and I've made that clear in previous posts on the subject (for instance, see my comments to readers here). In addition, it may also not be a good decision financially, if that is how you are thinking about it.

Must View Clip

Thanks to Dustin Slaughter for making this great short the night before I left the country. Dustin is one of nine members on the Board of Directors for All Education Matters. On that note, I have filled out the paperwork for incorporating, and am waiting to hear back from my Registered Agent.

Watch his short and share it with others. My work hasn't changed, and the crisis is only worsening.

For The Indentured Educated Class, Suicidal Thoughts Are Not Merely An Individual Problem

This morning when I got up to read the countless emails I receive every day from indentured educated servants, I read several disturbing ones. One debtor wrote, "I really don't see the purpose of my going on living anymore with the tag of massive Debtor in this crazy USA."

The next message I read was even worse. This one came from a person whom I've developed a strong working relationship with. In it, she told me that a family member of hers, who is drowning in debt and working in a retailer's warehouse, informed his mother (who co-signed on his loans) that if his lender goes after her, he will end his life. As it turns out, his mother is being harassed by their lender. The lender is making threats to take the mother's house away, and she is naturally frantic. 

I have written on the subject of suicide in the past, and that piece sparked a lot of conversation. I am sure those on the Hill and talking heads on the subject of higher education will write these debtors off, claiming that they merely have mental issues and ought to seek care. I don't disagree that these debtors, bless their hearts, need to be in therapy. However, to argue that it's merely on a personal level is missing the point entirely. 


I posted a request for help to get in touch with senators and other state representatives in this mother's home state on my Facebook page, and the first response I received said: "Sadly, I would bet that anonymously, a lot of us have at least taken that horrible option into consideration."

If I take the time to collect more evidence from my readers, I am confident I could assert that suicidal thoughts among debtors are at epidemic levels. That's why we must act now to solve the student lending crisis. If you imagine millions of debtors and co-signers who are contemplating, or have contemplated, suicide, what does that do for the health of a nation?

Quick Announcement: I am now a blogger for the Huffington Post

Many of you know that I recently received an invitation to blog for the Huffington Post about the student lending crisis.

My first piece entitled, "Jesse Jackson Has Aligned Himself With The For-Profits," has been published. Please make a point to post comments on the article itself. The more comments I receive, the better.

Stay tuned for more information about my most recent steps to incorporate Education Matters. The paperwork has been submitted, and I am waiting to hear back from my Registered Agent.

Part II of Who I Am: Retail Therapy and Graduate School Ennui

[Many of my readers have expressed interest in knowing more about who I am, so this is a new series that I began recently upon receiving so many of those requests.]

When I found God, I also entered the world of retail, a world that certainly seemed far removed from anything spiritual. But that was not the case. In fact, this glitzy space, that was jammed packed with glorious commodities, helped me get back in touch with a lot of holy things. In addition, it allowed me to pay homage (again) to Karl Marx, and in quite an unusual way. I realize he is quite passé these days, but with Retail Therapy, I hope to make him sexy (ha) in the twenty-first century.

So the world of retail was a blessing, and for so many reasons. First, it inspired me to write a 367-page manuscript, which has been given its final title, Retail Therapy. While I write The New Indentured Educated Class, I am also working on rewriting this work of fiction for the fiftieth time. Luckily, the burden of responsibility has not been placed solely on my shoulders. I have a co-author, Abigail Read, and she is playing an indispensable role in the final incarnation of this work. That means I have pulled it from the proverbial dustbins, and now have an outstanding co-author helping me rewrite it. Its tone is humorous, but the book definitely highlights the economic crisis that our country is still enduring.

When I began to write Retail Therapy, the economy’s seams were just beginning to unravel. So the timing was perfect for me to include the ghost of Karl Marx. Indeed, it is his luxury department store comeback! Luckily, the topic of the collapse of the U.S. economy remains relevant, so the content of the manuscript still stands. Thus, retail provided me with an unexpected type of education. Moreover, it was good to be away from the stuffiness of Brown. Even though I adore and adored my friends there – they provided me with an invaluable education, too – the whole environment became increasingly tiresome. I also found it particularly disturbing how the faculty, who had been there for decades (mind you, not all of them), were so painfully out of touch when it came to the realities of the job market. Again, my interview with Claudia Dreifus hits upon these points, and Ms. Dreifus does a superb job of analyzing reasons for why it is a problem.

For those of you who are in still academia, you are aware that it is a dismal situation. Of course the academic job market has been a disaster for quite some time, but it is definitely getting worse. And yet the schools manage to justify bloated administrations, over-paid presidents, and so forth. All the while they continue to cut tenure-track positions left and right. They have armies of adjuncts and graduate students, and these people are abused to no end. Adjuncts and graduate students generally have tenuous teaching schedules, no health care coverage, and have to work at multiple locations. So if someone tells me that the academy is leftist, let me take the opportunity now to say: take a hike. It’s been corporatized too, and that is exactly why we are in such a mess when it comes to the way in which higher education is financed.

It is a serious tragedy that these institutions have been taken over by corporatist. I think it is critical that higher education institutions have open discourse and represent various political views. In my view, these universities used to strive towards that ideal. That was before it was discovered that it could be corporatized, and that unwitting students could be turned into indentured educated servants. I mean, what better way to crush political activity (of any sort) than to burden educated people with crushing debt? It is a plan that made sense, and it is a plan that is clearly working its magic. Also, I am not talking about conspiracies here. These plans have been well-articulated by lenders and the institutions. The evidence is out there.

Overall, the academy disgusts me. That is one of many reasons why I did not wish to stick around. I refused to be a part of this insidious and immoral institutional structure.

So I became Catholic and at the same time left the protection of the academic world. To some degree, graduate school coddles you. For someone like me it was a way to remain distanced from public life and public problems. That is what graduate school was for me. That is not how it is for everyone in graduate school. But for many it is a way to avoid things. In saying that, I’m not stooping to that barbaric notion of hiding from the so-called real world. Save that drivel for someone else.
Once graduate school is over, you are in for a terrifying wake up call. While it was typical cocktail conversation to kvetch with my fellow graduate students about the shriveled and dead job market, the pessimism we reveled in together (and rightfully so), I realize now does not help to prepare those freshly minted PhD-ers on the actual job market. After so many conversations of this nature, it was time for a big change.

I thought I'd found a good place to begin a career in publishing, and so shortly after leaving academia I worked for a highly reputable publisher and respected the hell out of my manager (the guy is what I like to call 'scary smart,' and that's a compliment). However, my love for academia kept a strong, if not strangling, hold on me. All those depressing conversations I had had with fellow graduate students often centered on the issue of student loan debt. Although I received funding from the University of Chicago and Brown, it simply was not enough to cover all the expenses. That meant that I, like most graduate students, had to take out additional loans. We were all acutely aware of the fact that tuition had continued to increase exponentially over the past ten years or so, and we raised serious questions about why that was the case. That is how I soon found myself advocating for hundreds and hundreds of student loan debtors. At the same time, I maintained my connection to the Brown community, though, by helping graduate students with cover letters and academic CVs, focusing on transforming their academic work into something that applied to the “real world.”

I still advocate for debtors, and the number has grown to the thousands. However, my life changed dramatically once I left my publishing job.
 

[Stay tuned for the next installment of Who I Am]

Education and Democracy: Jim Holbert Weighs In On The Discussion

I refuse to accept claims that it's not in our best interest to have a majority of the populace educated, or in the very least have access to higher education. Many of my readers strongly disagree with my stance.

I will be reporting at the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul for the next threes days, and I'm not sure I'll be able to respond entirely during this period . I was selected among 30 candidates to be a reporter for my company. The WKF is affiliated with the upcoming G20 Summit in Busan, South Korea. I will be writing articles on talks given by Tony Blair, Deven Sharma, Oliver Williamson, and others. This event will also include discussions by Fareed Zakaria, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Paul Krugman, and so forth. I also have an editor, a press pass, and will be published in an online English newspaper in South Korea.

But let's return to why education is critical to maintaining a healthy and robust democratic society. That's what a few of these readers don't get (Nando, by the way, I am not speaking about you). There is much at stake when the discourse begins to shift toward this sentiment. In economic downturns, it is often the case that people become less generous and they are threatened by the idea of allowing access to lower income individuals, immigrants, and so forth. This anti-higher education attitude stinks of that problem. When economies are bad, people are not open to the idea of a society that enables others to succeed. Generosity shrinks, and that means that a democratic society finds itself in peril.

However, there are candidates like Rick Staggenborg (who is running for U.S. Senate in Oregon) and Jim Holbert (who is also running as a Progressive Democrat for U.S. House of Representatives in Kentucky's 5th District) who do not hold these, what I assert, dangerous feelings. Instead, they continue to insist on the importance of educating people, and of providing them with access to things that are difficult to obtain because of their socioeconomic background.

Recently, Jim Holbert weighed in on the discussion we're having about education. He eloquently stated:

"Educated people are those who have learned that they must be involved in the society in which they live, and this is why education is the hope of the people of a democratic society.
 
America's enlightenment-born striving toward equality is only an eddy running contrary to the powerful current of history, which has always held that ordinary people are nothing more than a herd to pay taxes and bear arms for a ruling elite. 

It remains to be seen which vision will triumph, and if the American experiment is to win out, then an educated and involved population will be the means to that victory."


Stay tuned for a lengthier essay about the necessity of educating a majority of the populace, or at least offering them access to good and affordable education.

Hegel stated that "the owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk"

Educating a Populace Matters: Thomas Jefferson Quotes

After writing about Rick Staggenborg's thoughts on education, a few respondents suggested that educating a majority of Americans was not in our best interests. I will be writing a lengthier piece about why this sentiment is not only wrong, but dangerous to the health of our nation.

In the meantime, I will leave you with a quote by Thomas Jefferson on his thoughts regarding education: "I have indeed two great measures at heart, without which no republic can maintain itself in strength: 1. That of general education, to enable every man to judge for himself what will secure or endanger his freedom. 2. To divide every county into hundreds, of such size that all the children of each will be within reach of a central school in it." --Thomas Jefferson to John Tyler, 1810. ME 12:393 

Continued Conversations with Candidates: Rick Staggenborg discusses Education Reform

[This series of conversations with candidates is part of a new feature on Education Matters, and is entitled, "New Blood Needed For Bold Change: Cryn's Conversations With A New Type of Candidate." If you are a candidate running for office (city, state, or at the national level) and would like to be promoted on my site, please contact me at ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com. All candidates will have the opportunity to review the material I publish about them, so none of your words will be misconstrued. I'm happy to be of assistance in spreading the word about your candidacy, your values, and what you intend to do once elected. So far, I've interviewed Kevin Bradley (who's running as a Democrat for the House of Representatives, CO-5) and Rick Staggenborg, and he's running for U.S. as a Progressive in the state of Oregon.]

Rick Staggenborg expressed a desire to share his thoughts on education reform in the U.S at Education Matters. If you haven't donated to Rick's campaign, please do so today. He is a great candidate who is running as an independent for U.S. Congress in Oregon, and if you don't live in the state of Oregon, please spread the word about his campaign.

If Rick wins this campaign, I might just have a position in D.C., which would mean that I would be back in the U.S. and helping to promote a progressive agenda. That would include playing a more influential role in public discourse in D.C., and forcing those inside the Beltway to listen to the voice of the indentured educated class. If Rick has an interest in hiring me, as we discussed briefly, this would mean playing a more direct role in helping to design legislation that would help all student loan debtors. 

Let's hear what Rick had to say about education:

Democracy cannot long survive without the active engagement of an informed citizenry. This is the essence of Jefferson’s warning to the People of the United States about the danger of failing to provide an adequate education to our children. In the Information Age, that means that we have a duty to make college accessible to every man or woman who has the potential to succeed in a reformed system of higher education where even vocational track students receive the basic information necessary to fulfill their duties as citizens and voters.

Jefferson believed this to be so important that he had inscribed on his gravestone what he regarded as his major accomplishment and embodiment of his dream for America: 'Here lies the Founder and first President of the University of Virginia.' This was the first public university founded in the United States and one that awarded scholarships to any child who could pass entrance examinations. We can and must see that Jefferson’s dream is realized.

A twenty-first century system of education should include civics classes that include study of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and their relevance to modern Americans. Civics texts would not be chosen by political and religious fundamentalists who want to rewrite American history in a manner similar to the Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution, but exulting fascism rather than communism.

Children of self-identified conservatives can talk with children of self-identified liberals and together seek common meaning in the words of these great documents for themselves. Such promotion of independent thinking and open discussion about the meaning of democracy at such a young age would result in an informed electorate. As they grow and mature, this generation will be unafraid to defend its political positions in fear of being victimized by ignorant elders stuck in the old way of thinking that corporate control of government, the media and education is the natural order of society. They will instead be prepared to assume the responsibilities of the next generation of citizens and citizen-leaders who will mold their own destinies and the destiny of our nation.

It is possible to provide universal education through college if the American People want and demand it. Once the Constitutional amendment abolishing corporate personhood is introduced, it will become a litmus test for candidates seeking the office of Senator. I don’t fancy the chances of success for those willing to demonstrate their loyalty to corporations by refusing to support it. Together, self-styled liberals and their conservative counterparts can take back America for their children’s sake.

Once we have a government working for the People instead of corporations we can have whatever government services we are willing to pay for. The Freedom Fry-supporting corporate media like to paint the French as socialists because they didn’t jump on the fascist bandwagon when Bush sounded the call to war for corporate profit. The truth is that France’s more self-contained economy and effective social safety net allowed them to whether the storms of our recent financial crisis much better than the US, which is based on a system of corporate welfare. In France, unions thrive, middle class workers and small businesses continue to prosper and no one is worrying about whether they can send their kids to college or go bankrupt trying to pay medical bills. These are considered essential services by the French for reasons that should now be apparent to all Americans.

If we want our children and grandchildren to grow up healthy, wealthy and wise we will ensure that they have the right to a college education including in the health care professions, should they choose to do so. To provide services in a universal health care system we will need to expand medical and nursing education and pay nursing educators well enough to entice them from working to teach new generations of the nurses we depend on to keep our loved ones safe in times of medical crisis.

Every child with a normal brain is a potential genius. If we can design an educational system that supports the individual strengths of our children, we can produce what we are supposed to produce as loving parents: Children who will surpass our achievements at creating a more perfect society. Such a society is one in which everyone enjoys equal protection under the law and each has the same opportunity to succeed as the most economically fortunate among them.

 

Co-signers Suffer too: How many Mr. Reachs are out there?

I wonder how many mothers and fathers, grandmothers and granfathers are facing something similar to this fellow who lost his home after co-signing on loans for his four kids. I'll never forget Rep. Cohen's question wherein he wondered out loud about the actual number of co-signers on private student loans at a hearing over a year ago in D.C. He seemed overwhelmed by the question itself. It was, conveniently, at the end of the hearing (one that came at a very pointless time, and really had no bearing on anything  for student loan debtors. That's to say, nothing was done).

I bet that $850 billion record of federal and private loans is a conservative estimate, if you think about all the Mr. Reachs out there who co-signed on student loans for their kids or grand-kids.

An angry Mother vents: "College has become just a business to feed the ones at the top of the food chain."

This mother is an amazing support to her struggling son. While he is lucky to have a nurturing and gentle parent, it's not enough for this man's daily troubles as an indentured educated citizen. That's why we must radically restructure the system, so that young people (as well as everyone else) don't have to face insurmountable student loan debts. As for this particular story, the young man's hopes - let's call him R - were dashed recently. He will never be able to be of service to the U.S. as a meteorologist. He was told not to bother by an Air Force Squadron Commander who came to visit him at his lousy job as a sack boy at a grocery store. Why will he never have the opportunity to pursue this career, a career he spent years studying for in college? Well, he can thank his student loan sharks and that brutal, predatory system. So he spent all this time in school and for nothing.

Here's what R's mother wrote:

Cryn: 

I had to email you today. I feel helpless, but I need to chat and only you understand.

You will remember my son, who has the degree in meteorology. We have been trying since his graduation in 2007 to find him a job. If you recall, the United States Air Force turned him away (although he got a 98 on his entrance exam, and he would have entered as an officer because of his degree) because of his student loan debt.

Well today a friend of my son's (who is also a meteorologist) had his Air Force Squadron Commander look him up at his grocery store job. R said he was very nice, but very honest too. He told R that he can quit applying for anything related to meteorology jobs in the Air Force, even as a civilian. Incidentally, meteorology jobs all are linked to the Air Force. Because he will be taken out of the list of possibles every time. Why is this the case? He has too much student loan debt.

I am so hurt for him, saddened, and furious, all at the same time. I don't know whom to turn, what to do, what to say . . . I am a mess. R worked so hard for his degree. There was frustration and doubt, worry and fears that he wouldn't get through it. But he did, and he proudly walked across that stage to received that worthless piece of paper. I know with this recent personal visit [from the Air Force Squadron Commander] that R will give up. He will see this as the final horrible truth the he will have to live with.  And I don't know

if he is strong enough to do that.  

He has gastroparesis and ulcers of the stomach now. He barely eats and has very few friends. He does go to a gym a couple of days a week. And maybe he will go to a bar and watch football, but otherwise my 27 year old is always home and hibernating in his basement apartment (our house). I am sorry. I just needed to vent.  

This United States of America is a free country all right. Free to crush your fellow man. Free to make the rules up as you go. Free to treat the poor like paupers, the rich like royalty, and the middle class like slaves. Slavery didn't cease to exist, it only switched to a different class of people. The future is not good. Our children and grandchildren will be slaves to the rich. 


This will never stop unless we die or can't take anymore and kill ourselves. I see the country as money driven and on a spiral to complete destruction, and it won't be but another 25-30 years before the only people existing will be the royalty and its slaves.  College has become just a business to feed the ones at the top of the food chain. And feed them well. 

I was concerned about R's devastation and his mothers concerns about what might happen to him after this conversation. Immediately I wrote her back and told her that if R were contemplating suicide to seek medical help (I've written on the topic of suicide before, and that post continues to receive responses from people). R's mother replied reassuringly:

I don't think R would ever do anything to harm himself. He lives with us and I am constantly monitoring his mood. Here nothing really gets past me because R wears his feelings  on his shoulders.

Thanks for being there for me, Cryn. And thanks for all you have done and are still doing.  I don't know if you realize how important your work is for some of us. Your work has become that miracle that we are all hoping and praying for. And I do pray for you. I pray that God will give you courage for the mission, strength for each day and restful nights for your body, mind and soul.  I pray that your husband and family understand and support your efforts too.  You are my friend, whom I have not met, but that I love very much.

I pray for R and R's mother, too. In fact, I pray for all of you, and I hope that my mission will result in a good outcome for every single indentured educated soul. I want you to know that your suffering is not in vain. Your suffering has not gone unnoticed, and it is my duty as a public servant to carry this burden and to fight for your rights. Let's thank R's mother for having the courage to share her story. Let's thank God for good mothers like her. Keep your son close.