John Hechinger of Bloomberg News is the best education journalist at work these days.
His latest story is chilling: It tells of a determined effort by the federal government and lawyers to collect a student loan debt owed by a teacher in Los Angeles.
The teacher had a debt left from the 1970s. The aggressive lawyers emptied her bank account and grabbed a quarter of her earnings. A court intervened.
What’s the moral of the story?
Some might see it as evidence that people should pay their debts. There’s no free lunch. etc.
I’d say it shows that our nation is hypocritical about the importance of higher education, that we say we want to have the highest college going rate in the world but we shrug our shoulders at the rising cost of higher education.
My view is that the federal government and state governments should reduce the cost to the student of getting a college degree. The nations where college-going is increasing have done that. Meanwhile we pursue student loan debt with a SWAT team vengeance.
This is no way to out-educate the rest of the world.
Diane
Diane Ravitch's blog 
In most cases, student loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy. You never want to let a debt with the IRS or student loan company go bad, because they have almost unlimited power over what they can do to get their money back.
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I’m not a fan of conspiracy theories but it just amazes me how the primacy of money manages to attack education from ALL angles. If you must finance your higher education with loans, who will bother getting a degree in education when certification is not needed, nobody’s hiring and with all the cuts, an entry-level wage isn’t enough to pay off debt and live at the same time? Heads up colleges of education, this one’s coming your way!
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Here is my story: I went to a FL public university in the 80/90’s and received degrees from in education. At the time, I was promised that if I taught 5 years in a Title 1 school, my loans would be forgiven (It is written on the back of my promissory notes). FL teacher forgiveness, I believe is/was the name of the program.
Of course, I took the challenge and just finished my 20th year teaching (all Title 1 schools). But, a few changes in governors over the years (some not so pro-public ed) and the poof… the program was eliminated then reinstated then eliminated again…
In the midst of all that, I was hit with student loan bills that exceeded half my income from teaching. Being a single mom on teacher pay, I defaulted thus no longer qualifying for forgiveness. The government then deducted the loans from my paycheck until I was 40 years old (nearly 17 years of paying approx $800 a month in student loans).
I am paid off now… loans satisfied in full. I paid enough to buy two houses down here where I live – and yet, I have never owned a home. Go figure.
I am paid off just in time to start financing my daughter’s way through college. I will be sure to make sure she doesn’t fall trap to the same gimmicks…
I thank you for a chance to tell my story.
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Another reason the govt. should not be in the business of granting loans. No one should pay for your debt except YOU.
People who rely and trust the govt. often times get screwed. This is why I wonder why liberals are SO trusting of the govt. How many times do you have to be “sold out” before you learn.?
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Speechless…
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MomwithAbrain – if you don’t have something supportive to say about this teacher’s personal plight that she shared with us, then please consider withholding your comments. I’ve read your comments from time to time elsewhere and it’s clear that you have a political ax to grind. Seems strange that you would be reading Diane Ravitch’s blog.
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I know it is too late for you, but maybe it will help another reader. The loan forgiveness is a FEDERAL program, though states have programs too. I know it has changed in the past year or so, but I got $5,000 of my Stafford loans forgiven and all ($2,000) of my Perkins loans forgiven. You don’t necessarily have to be in a Title I school either. Some schools in my area that are consider “rich-people” schools are on the federal government list for accepted schools. If you teach in a subject that is considered “high needs,” you can get up to $17,500 forgiven after 5 years.
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Oh, and did I mention I am a public school teacher… lol, yea, I’m in it for the money. It will take me another 20 years of teaching to earn the amount I invested just to become a teacher. Good thing I love my job and students … #YesIDo
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Why is the Federal Govt. in the student loan business to begin with. Why aren’t those questions ever asked.
They are to be LIMITED~! Not out there micromanaging the economy.
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I would also add Valerie Strauss to the list of best education reporters/journalists currently at work.
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Indeed the cost of education has gone through the roof. My theory has to do with revenue. I think the whole thing started with an intensely large population of Baby Boomers. When that generation entered college, the post-secondary schools built up their buildings and programs to accommodate them. Then the population went down, and in effect, schools were not bringing in the revenue. So they started accepting students who were not quite “college material” to round out their student population. When these students were not performing at the levels of previous classes, many blamed public education for not preparing them. In response to student “quality” concerns, the vast majority of institutions began to raise their standards, and their population decreased again. However colleges were not going to lose the revenue, so they raised tuition costs.
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