Well said, as always, Charlotte. I've never understood why people who never support equality about anything else seem to insist on equality of suffering. And anyone who pays taxes ends up paying for many things that they will never use or wouldn't choose to support. The whole point of community is that people's needs be met without requiring that everyone have identical needs/circumstances. Thank you for your candor.
YES! YES! YES! I paid my way through college because it was about $3,000 a YEAR! Now it's ten times that - for a public school with in-state tuition. I am extremely lucky because I was able to save enough money to send my two kids through great public universities (in-state) without taking out student loans. But it's so unfair. I could afford to pay for SAT/ACT prep classes; I could afford to live in a very expensive and excellent school district. Not everyone is that lucky. We need to do better. We cannot equalize education while things remain the same. Thank you!
So very well said. I paid off my student loans years ago when my tuition was less than $500 per semester and room & board $1000 a year. If folks can get ahead by having their loans forgiven, then let's get it done.
This is so heart-breakingly beautiful. Thank you, Charlotte, for putting into words what I've been struggling to articulate when I've seen those "it's not fair" comments.
Charlotte, you had hit the nail on the head about 29 times! Each and every example you provide is exactly true. We seem to have so many folks who go by the “I got mine, you figure out how to get yours” attitude. Community caring is not even on their wavelength. Thank you for spelling it out, loud and clear! There are lots of things in life that are “not fair”, but relieving college debt is not one of them.
Ditto on all points. Back in the 70’s, I had a little help from my Dad and a school loan. I paid it off at $50 a month for about 4ish years. I am one of those ‘older’ people that had the opportunity to get a degree when the cost was not outlandish and I in no way think it is unfair that many will see relief today. The cost of a college education today is the result of policies that only benefit the rich and leave the rest in years of debt. Kudos to the Biden administration.
I went to college on the GI Bill as a dependent of my father who died serving his country (back in the day when this was a thing). So I had no college undergrad debt, & very manageable grad school expenses. I agree with everything you said & pity people who are so mean, narrow minded & nasty as to withhold this assistance from anyone. The “I got mine, so screw you” mindset is appalling.
Once again, thank you for your thoughts.as usual, you are spot on.
Charlotte, I hope you know how very appreciated this essay - and you - are! It was eloquent and heartfelt, and your honesty shone through in every well-spokem word.
I paid my own student loans (it was a hardship for a recent grad) until I married. Then, my husband and I were fortunate to land good jobs and together, we paid off the rest of mine and his remaining Law School loans. A couple of years later, I was lucky enough to go to Grad school myself.
I must say, just because we got paid off our student loans, I would NEVER wish others to go into crippling debt for a degree.
Along with President Biden's loan forgiveness, your essay was a GIFT!
Thank you for speaking up and speaking out against the nonsense of people who are so concerned with themselves, they can't get past their own selfishness.
I’ll never forget the Death Sex & Money podcast on student debt and the story of a woman who’d gone $45k in debt for a MFA that she’d never be able to pay off as a barista. And her father wanted her to be able to pay off her student loans and couldn’t help her. He had a life insurance policy that had a suicide exception. So he committed suicide so she’d be able to pay off her student loans. And she felt horrible that her father died so that she could pay her student loans. And I literally had to pull my car over on the side of the road because I was sobbing 😭 so hard hearing her pain at losing her father this way. I was driving to see my own father who worked for $4 and change an hour and helped me get through medical school and my brother get through law school. And it’s crazy hard if you come from a poor family and try to climb that ladder. Bless you Charlotte. There are so many poor kids out there who never get the chance because of where they were born. And my heart goes out to this woman who lost her dad. If she’d had debt relief, he’d be alive.
This. Once again, you’ve said perfectly what I would stumble to articulate. There are two kinds of people in this world - those that suffer hardship, and think others (for whatever reason) should have to go through it too, and those who suffer hardship, and do their very best to make sure that others don’t have to. I try every day to learn and grow, and I’m grateful that there are people like you who help me to see what is right and just.
Well said, as always, Charlotte. I've never understood why people who never support equality about anything else seem to insist on equality of suffering. And anyone who pays taxes ends up paying for many things that they will never use or wouldn't choose to support. The whole point of community is that people's needs be met without requiring that everyone have identical needs/circumstances. Thank you for your candor.
Charlotte, you are always so eloquent and succinct in describing exactly how a lot of us feel but can’t quite articulate. Thank you (again.)
YES! YES! YES! I paid my way through college because it was about $3,000 a YEAR! Now it's ten times that - for a public school with in-state tuition. I am extremely lucky because I was able to save enough money to send my two kids through great public universities (in-state) without taking out student loans. But it's so unfair. I could afford to pay for SAT/ACT prep classes; I could afford to live in a very expensive and excellent school district. Not everyone is that lucky. We need to do better. We cannot equalize education while things remain the same. Thank you!
Brilliant and heart rending in equal measure. These are brave and necessary words, and I appreciate you, Charlotte.
Brilliant woman, you!!!! Thank you for this great post and for your willingness to use your good heart and brain to benefit all.
So very well said. I paid off my student loans years ago when my tuition was less than $500 per semester and room & board $1000 a year. If folks can get ahead by having their loans forgiven, then let's get it done.
Charlotte, this is brilliant!
This is so heart-breakingly beautiful. Thank you, Charlotte, for putting into words what I've been struggling to articulate when I've seen those "it's not fair" comments.
Charlotte, you had hit the nail on the head about 29 times! Each and every example you provide is exactly true. We seem to have so many folks who go by the “I got mine, you figure out how to get yours” attitude. Community caring is not even on their wavelength. Thank you for spelling it out, loud and clear! There are lots of things in life that are “not fair”, but relieving college debt is not one of them.
Ditto on all points. Back in the 70’s, I had a little help from my Dad and a school loan. I paid it off at $50 a month for about 4ish years. I am one of those ‘older’ people that had the opportunity to get a degree when the cost was not outlandish and I in no way think it is unfair that many will see relief today. The cost of a college education today is the result of policies that only benefit the rich and leave the rest in years of debt. Kudos to the Biden administration.
I went to college on the GI Bill as a dependent of my father who died serving his country (back in the day when this was a thing). So I had no college undergrad debt, & very manageable grad school expenses. I agree with everything you said & pity people who are so mean, narrow minded & nasty as to withhold this assistance from anyone. The “I got mine, so screw you” mindset is appalling.
Once again, thank you for your thoughts.as usual, you are spot on.
Charlotte, I hope you know how very appreciated this essay - and you - are! It was eloquent and heartfelt, and your honesty shone through in every well-spokem word.
I paid my own student loans (it was a hardship for a recent grad) until I married. Then, my husband and I were fortunate to land good jobs and together, we paid off the rest of mine and his remaining Law School loans. A couple of years later, I was lucky enough to go to Grad school myself.
I must say, just because we got paid off our student loans, I would NEVER wish others to go into crippling debt for a degree.
Along with President Biden's loan forgiveness, your essay was a GIFT!
Thank you for speaking up and speaking out against the nonsense of people who are so concerned with themselves, they can't get past their own selfishness.
Excellent points
Amen to every word you wrote!
I’ll never forget the Death Sex & Money podcast on student debt and the story of a woman who’d gone $45k in debt for a MFA that she’d never be able to pay off as a barista. And her father wanted her to be able to pay off her student loans and couldn’t help her. He had a life insurance policy that had a suicide exception. So he committed suicide so she’d be able to pay off her student loans. And she felt horrible that her father died so that she could pay her student loans. And I literally had to pull my car over on the side of the road because I was sobbing 😭 so hard hearing her pain at losing her father this way. I was driving to see my own father who worked for $4 and change an hour and helped me get through medical school and my brother get through law school. And it’s crazy hard if you come from a poor family and try to climb that ladder. Bless you Charlotte. There are so many poor kids out there who never get the chance because of where they were born. And my heart goes out to this woman who lost her dad. If she’d had debt relief, he’d be alive.
This. Once again, you’ve said perfectly what I would stumble to articulate. There are two kinds of people in this world - those that suffer hardship, and think others (for whatever reason) should have to go through it too, and those who suffer hardship, and do their very best to make sure that others don’t have to. I try every day to learn and grow, and I’m grateful that there are people like you who help me to see what is right and just.