Letters to the editor: The high school served me better

RIVERHEAD

The high school served me better

I am a former student of Riverhead Charter School and I’m also a former student at Riverhead High School. I love the charter school but I totally disagree with it. I had a hard time with the charter school studies and once I graduated and went to Riverhead, my grades were amazing. If I didn’t make that transition from the charter school and into a school with more resources, I would not have graduated.

Diamond Rainford

CUTCHOGUE

Repayment of debt is your responsibility

The issue of student loan forgiveness is not that hard to understand. It’s about votes, period. Students in many cases are forced to take loans in order to attend institutions of higher education. Why then, is the cost of this education so high? The more money the government provides, the higher the tuition becomes, the higher the loans get. It’s an inflationary practice.

My generation, the boomers, took out loans, some got more in debt then others. The jobs they took could not cover the cost of living or they just jumped on the bandwagon. They then declared bankruptcy and the loans were forgiven. It became a common practice. Those who did beat the system over time. So much so, Congress changed the law making student loans not eligible for bankruptcy forgiveness. Indeed, your future Social Security can be deducted in order to pay off student debt.

Forgiveness of loans must be based on circumstances of the individual. I believe that is a path our Congress should take; indeed, the Supreme Court even stated such. I do understand the broader implications of this issue and they are not simple. Is this a one-time thing? Do those who still have loans but also have high annual income get forgiveness too, how equitable and just is that? Do those just taking out loans today also get forgiveness? What about all those who paid off their loans and are still struggling? Do they get that money back? 

Ms. Schroeder and Ms. MacLeod (“The roots of student loan debt,” March 28), I respect your position but you are not looking at the whole picture. The picture starts with the cost of education, the ease of getting loans and, unlike a mortgage, no set repayment period or interest rate. You speak of equity, justice and ethical responsibilities. This country is based on equal opportunity and justice for all. Repayment of a loan is an ethical responsibility.

Bob Bittner