The Biden administration has taken significant strides in its commitment to address the issue of student loan debt by announcing the forgiveness of $72 million in student loans for 2,300 individuals.
The latest move by the Department of Education seeks to provide relief to students who were misled by educational misrepresentations made between 2009 and 2020 during their enrollment at Ashford University.
This announcement, as The Washington Examiner Explains in a news article published on Thursday, August 31, follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Biden administration’s original student loan forgiveness plan.
Although the court decision posed a setback, President Joe Biden reiterated his administration’s dedication to finding alternative ways to ease the financial burden on student loan borrowers.
President Joe Biden. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters.
James Kvaal, the United States Under Secretary of Education, underscored the importance of this measure, pointing to a California court ruling from the previous year.
The court ruling upheld students’ claims that they had been deceived by Ashford University’s promotional tactics, which were characterized as high-pressure and deceptive recruiting methods aimed at enticing students.
Kvaal emphasized, “As the California Department of Justice proved in court, Ashford relied extensively on high-pressure and deceptive recruiting tactics to lure students.
Today, we are protecting the students who were cheated by Ashford, and we will also hold the perpetrators accountable, protect taxpayers, and deter future wrongdoing.”
James Kvaal (center) the United States Under Secretary of Education
The administration’s decision to forgive the student loan debt of the affected individuals is a testament to its commitment to rectifying past wrongs and offering relief to those who were misled by unscrupulous practices.
This step aligns with President Biden’s broader goals of making higher education accessible and equitable for all Americans.
With this recent announcement, the Biden administration highlighted the scope of its efforts to alleviate the burden of student loan debt.
More than 3.4 million individuals have received loan relief, resulting in the discharge of more than $116 billion in student loans.
Supporters of student debt forgiveness demonstrate outside the US Supreme Court on June 30, 2023, in Washington, DC. Photo: AP, File.
Specifically, the Department of Education has approved a total of $14.8 billion in loan relief for 1.1 million borrowers who found themselves in difficult situations due to their schools’ exploitative practices or abrupt closures.
This student loan debt forgiveness initiative marks an important milestone in the administration’s ongoing efforts to address the challenges faced by borrowers and to ensure that education remains a pathway to opportunity rather than a financial burden.
As the administration continues to explore additional avenues to support students and graduates burdened by loans, its commitment to transparency, accountability, and fairness in the education sector remains steadfast.
by: AcrossTheUnionChronicles