Letter: Jared Golden is incorrect about scholar loans

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There’s a false perception amongst some together with Rep. Jared Golden that almost all of those that have gone to school are members of the financial elite. Golden just lately claimed a lot of those that took out scholar loans went on to “six-figure salaries.” Whereas scholar loans have been important for 1000’s of low-income Mainers to flee poverty, about 40 p.c of scholar mortgage debtors by no means end their schooling. Too many had goals of graduating from school, however didn’t notice that their life circumstances would later make it unimaginable for them to complete their schooling.  

It is perhaps troublesome for Golden and different members of the upper-middle-class to know how troublesome remaining in class might be for younger individuals from poor households with unstable incomes. Others completed school however chosen occupations similar to forestry, social work, particular schooling, journalism or another job which give monetary rewards a lot smaller than they anticipated. Approach too many labored very exhausting in highschool to earn school admission, however took out scholar loans of their late teenage years solely to grow to be victims of the false guarantees of a school schooling.  

The COVID-19 pandemic offered a nationwide emergency. In response to the worldwide outbreak of illness that resulted in mortality  not seen since World Battle II, President Joe Biden appropriately prolonged the paused reimbursement of qualifying federal scholar loans. The continued scholar debt forbearance aid proposed by President Biden won’t solely stave off numerous scholar mortgage delinquencies and defaults, but additionally enable many hardworking younger Mainers to actively take part in our economic system and keep away from different monetary stressors similar to extended delays in home-buying.