Student Debt, Like Psalms 23, It will follow you all the days of your life
From: Mirrishadow
This time I have a story to tell. You can feel free to tell me if you've had this same problem I'd love to hear from you.
A long time ago, when I was 18 I got married. That in itself is not the real story, except to say that it was because of the foolishness of marrying out of highschool...that the rest of this story takes place at all. To get back to it, I got married and then a year later, we were separating and I needed a place to live and money to live with. At the time of the separation I was entering my first year of college and I had used the money from the student loans to pay the tuition and so forth, as well as covering the rent and using about a grand for surgery to remove my wisdom teeth.
When I left my husband I desparately needed money to live off of, at least for a few months until the next part of my student loan/grant came in. So naive me I went to ask Welfare (now called Ontario Works) for help. Imagine my surprise when I was told that if I wanted their help (like I had a choice at this point?)
I had to drop out of college and then I'd be eligible for their help. I tried telling them that I'd be happy to pay them back once my next payment came in, but it was of no avail...it was their way or no way at all. I felt my throat tighten at the thought of having to give up school but I had no real choice. I accepted and dropped from school little knowing what would come to pass in the future.
12 years later:
I had given birth to a child and was finally in a position to try to recover the schooling I had been forced to give up so long ago. I applied for a College and felt optimistic about qualifying for assistance, after all I had paid off the debts owed by me after having dropped from the program. No problem right? BIG problem. The Head of the school called me to tell me that I was declined for a student loan...reason given....I had outstanding grant money.Less than $1000 owing but it was enough to block my dream once again. I called an MP for help, I called the Student Loan services and all these people could tell me was....pay what you owe and we'll consider you. We didn't have a lot of money, it was impossible to try to sort out exactly how I could pay back this money and then maybe qualify. I tried asking them to allow it and just take what was owed off of what I'd be entitled to. I wouldn't have complained, on the contrary I would have been grateful to have been given a chance at an education....but it was not to be.
To this day I still owe the money and I can't go back to school. What kind of system do we live in where we tell people they can't go to school, their one sure way of getting off of assistance and living a productive life? What kind of system continues to hold it against them 12 years later? What kind of system has no forgiveness for $670 worth of debt? What kind of system is UNWILLING to negotiate in the interests of making a difference in someone's life....for the better?
I ask myself this question over and over as I try to sort out just where exactly I would be able to come up with this money with 3 kids and a spouse who is now laid off. What kind of a system punishes a person for wanting to better themselves?
HOnestly I need the education to get the job I need to pay off the money that I'd owe. But I can't get the money I owe because I lack the education to get the job I need. I feel like a hamster who got caught on a wheel. The wheel of red-tape and no forgiveness.
