It’s been a few weeks since the White House announced a plan for student loan forgiveness, and in that time, you’ve likely seen all sorts of articles and social media posts pushing back against it.

Watching these arguments unfold has been frustrating, and it can be hard to know what to say.

To help all of us know how to respond, I interviewed my dad, Ken Clarke, who spent more than 35 years working as a financial aid professional. 

I mean it when I say my dad is the perfect person to walk us through this conversation. When he retired, he was the dean of financial aid for all Maricopa County community colleges in Arizona, and he had helped thousands of students navigate the financial aid process throughout his career.

The conversation I had with him was so good and full of information that I ended up splitting it into two episodes.

In this first episode, we address four of the most common arguments against student loan forgiveness:

• The argument that the plan only helps the “elite.”
• The complaints about having to “foot the bill” for other people’s education.
• The objections that the plan is “unfair” to people who have already paid off student loans.
• The criticism that the plan is too expensive.

And be on the lookout for the bonus episode with the second half of this conversation where my dad and I talk more about the history of student loans and how college became so expensive.

 

6 Characteristics of a Positive Community

Anti-racism is a vital part of EVERY community. It’s not something we should silo away from the other communities we are a part of, whether that’s your neighborhood, church, PTA, craft circle, fitness group, etc. We should just focus on building healthy communities — where we strive for fairness, communicate when there’s friction, embrace freedom of expression and celebrate traditions together.

And First Name Basis is here to help you do it! Visit firstnamebasis.org/positivecommunity to get your FREE printable of the 6 characteristics of a positive community, adapted for the podcast from Dr. Nicole Celestine’s work.

 

Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr.

We are opening the doors to both Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr. on Sept. 20!

Parents have been asking for a practical, interactive way to implement the anti-racist strategies that I lay out in the First Name Basis Podcast, so I created Ally Elementary and Ally Elementary Jr. 

Ally Elementary is geared toward third-eighth graders, while Ally Elementary Jr. is for the smaller allies in our lives who are in preschool-second grade.

During these programs, parents will work together with their children to create a culture of anti-racism in their home. We will use hands-on activities to teach our children about everything from the untold story of how race was created to how they can disrupt racism in their everyday lives to how they can learn more about their individual identity and culture. I am so excited to watch the families in our community make a meaningful transformation and improve their communities through anti-racist action.

Click here to join the waitlist for Ally Elementary (for third-eighth graders) 

Click here to join the waitlist for Ally Elementary Jr. (for preschool-second graders)

Articles, Studies, & Podcasts Referenced in the Episode

First Name Basis Podcast: Season 2, Episode 5: “A Conversation With My Dad About Black History Month” with Ken Clarke

First Name Basis Podcast: Season 3, Episode 14: “The Untold Story of Fried Chicken” with Ken Clarke

First Name Basis Podcast: Season 4, Episode 10: “The Memory That I Can’t Shake: The Why Behind Ally Elementary”

First Name Basis Podcast: Season 5, Episode 16: “Age Appropriate Anti-Racism”

“Student Loan Debt by Race,” by Melanie Hanson, Education Data Initiative

Leslie Streeter on Twitter 

Jon Schwarz on Twitter 

“Jim Crow Debt: How Black Borrowers Experience Student Loans,” by Jalil B. Mustaffa and Jonathan C.W. Davis, The Education Trust

“What will student loan forgiveness mean for Black students and families?" by Andre M. Perry and Adrianna Pita, The Current Podcast from Brookings 

“Fact Sheet: President Biden Announces Student Loan Relief for Borrowers Who Need It Most,” The White House

Who is My Student Loan Servicer?

 

Song credit: “Sleeper” by Steve Adams” and “Dive Down” by VYEN