NgoSepthemba 9, uSallie Mae waba yinhlangano yama-50 ukusika izibopho ne-American Legislative Exchange Council-kanye neyokuqala ukwenza kanjalo ngaphansi kwengcindezi evela kubafundi.
Njengelungu leqembu labameleli bezomthetho elinempikiswano, elivame ukubizwa ngokuthi i-ALEC, u-Sallie Mae wayebhale umthetho oyimodeli wokukhawulela uxhaso lwemfundo ephakeme. Futhi kungani kungenjalo? Lapho abafundi kufanele bakhokhe ephaketheni, kulapho u-Sallie Mae, inkampani eboleka abafundi, engakwazi ukudonsa imali—kuhlanganise amashumi ezigidi ezinkontilekeni zoMnyango wezeMfundo zokuhlinzeka ngemalimboleko yenhlangano.
Abafundi bakunakile. Ngo-Okthoba 2011, amalungu e-Occupy DC amasha esuka endaweni yawo eMcPherson Square eya endlunkulu ka-Sallie Mae. “Ingxoxo [ngalowo mzuzu] yayilandela labo abenza inzuzo ezikweletini zabafundi,” kusho uChris Hicks, umhleli womkhankaso wezikweletu wabafundi we-Jobs With Justice-American Rights at Work, iqembu likazwelonke elimela abasebenzi. U-Sallie Mae uqokwe ngoba wayenayo kunenzuzo enkulu ibhizinisi lokubolekwa kwabafundi, "ukuqala ukugingqika kwebhola osekuthole umfutho kusukela ngaleso sikhathi."
NgoMashi 2012, ababhikishi abangu-36 baboshelwa ukuvala umgwaqo ngaphandle kwamahhovisi kaSallie Mae. Ngemva konyaka, abafundi bethula a isinqumo sabaninimasheya icela inkampani ukuthi idalule ukwakheka kwayo kwebhonasi ephezulu, izindlela zayo zokunxenxa, kanye nokuxhumana kwayo ne-ALEC. Manje, isikhathi esingaphezu kwenyanga ngemva kokushiya i-ALEC, inkampani isagula ngaphansi uphenyo olusemthethweni ngokukhokhisa inzalo ephakeme kanye nezimali ezikhokhwayo kubafundi bebala elimhlophe, ubufakazi bokuthi yehlulekile ukunciphisa inzalo yabasebenzi bezempi, futhi icela uMnyango Wezemfundo unqamule inkontileka yawo. Njengomkhulumeli wenkampani uMartha Holler kuchazwe isinqumo sokunqamula uxhumano lwe-ALEC, "Izinga lomsindo beliphazamisa inhloso yebhizinisi yasekuqaleni."
Ngaleso sikhathi, ibhizinisi likaSallie Mae, isikweletu sabafundi, siyaqhuma. Ngonyaka odlule, isamba sikazwelonke safinyelela ku-$1 trillion, sadlula isikweletu samakhadi esikweletu kanye nesikweletu sezimoto. Kusukela ngo-2005 kuya ku-2012, isilinganiso somthwalo sisuka ku-$16,651 saya ku-$24,803, sakhuphula amathuba abafundi abakweletayo okulahlekelwa isikweletu, amaholo abo ahlotshiswe, futhi aqongelela inzalo eyengeziwe—nezikweletu.
Kuyinhlekelele yezilinganiso ezingashiwongo. Futhi, njengoba isisekelo esiphikisana noSallie Mae siphakamisa, kuyinhlansi.
Kusukela ekuhleleni ezingeni likazwelonke, okuhlanganisa abafundi, abasebenzi kanye namaqembu anenqubekela phambili, kuya ekufakeni ingcindezi yendawo kubaphathi nezikhulu ezikhethiwe, abakweleta abafundi baguqula umbhalo wesikweletu sabafundi, basisuse ekuzibophezeleni komuntu ngamunye baye enkingeni yesistimu. Nazi izindlela ezinhlanu zokumelana nezikweletu zabafundi ezweni lonke.
1. Ukukhomba ama-Feds
Ngaphakathi kwe-Beltway, ukuguqulwa kwezikweletu zabafundi kuhamba ngokulingana futhi kuyaqala. Ngo-2010, uMongameli u-Obama wasayina uMthetho Wosizo Lwabafundi kanye Nomthwalo Wemfanelo Wezimali, owaqeda uxhaso lukahulumeni olunikezwa amabhange ahlinzeka ngemalimboleko yangasese. Ngonyaka odlule, uMnyango wezeMfundo wasebenzisa uhlelo lwe-“Pay As You Earn”, oluhlanganisa izinkokhelo zemalimboleko yombuso kumaphesenti angu-10 emali engenayo yokuzikhethela futhi ekhulula izinkokhelo ezisilele ngemva kweminyaka engama-20 (okungenasandla esivulekile kunommeleli u-Karen Bass' 10-10 isiphakamiso).
Kulo nyaka, amanani enzalo aphethe inkulumo-mpikiswano. NgoJulayi, iCongress yakhetha ukuvumela izinkokhelo ziphindwe kabili ukusuka kumaphesenti angu-3.4 kuya kumaphesenti angu-6.8, ngaphambi kokunciphisa ukunyuka ngemva kwenyanga. Umthetho Wemalimboleko Yomfundi kaSenator u-Elizabeth Warren, owehlisa inzalo ibe ngamaphesenti angu-0.75 izinga elitholwa amabhange ku-Federal Reserve, usahlezi etafuleni.
Student futhi Okuqhubekayo amaqembu abambe iqhaza kulesi siphakamiso ngasinye ngenkathi enikeza uhla lwezinye, okuhlanganisa ukuguqula imithetho yokuqothuka ukumboza abakweleta abafundi kanye ukuhlanganisa imithombo ehlukene yosizo lwezezimali lwe-federal. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, u-Sallie Mae wasebenzisa u-$16 million ekunxenxeni uhulumeni phakathi kuka-2008 no-2012, ejoyina. abalingani bemboni ukuxhuma izinguquko.
Ukuhlela okuzungeze uSallie Mae kuhambisana nemizamo yokucindezela uhulumeni wobumbano, kusho uHicks. “Uma u-Sallie Mae engaphumela obala wathi sizoxolela u-10% wesikweletu sawo wonke umuntu, ngicabanga ukuthi bekungalindeleka ukuthi uMnyango wezeMfundo uphendule ngendlela efanayo, kube ngokuphambene nalokho.” Noma ngabe kwenzekani kuSallie Mae kwezomthetho, uyanezela, kuzoba wuphawu kuyo yonke imboni. Ngenkathi inkampani ithuthela ukuhlinzeka ngemalimboleko enenzalo engaguquki ngonyaka odlule, isibonelo, u-Wells Fargo no-Discover balandela.
Ukuphakamisa i-ante, u-Hicks uthi, "Esikubhekile ukuzama ukukhomba abalingisi abaningi abahlukene ngesikhathi esisodwa." Ngenkathi uqhubeka nokucindezela uMnyango wezeMfundo ukuthi unqamule inkontileka kaSallie Mae, iJobs With Justice-American Rights at Work kanye nabalingani bayo bahlela abantu asebathatha umhlalaphansi ukuze bahlole ubungozi bokutshala izimali zempesheni eSallie Mae, abafundi ukuthi bacindezele amanyuvesi abo ukuthi anciphise izinkontileka zabo. inkampani, kanye nezishayamthetho ukuze kunqandwe ukubolekwa kwabantu ngobuqili futhi kuxhaswe imfundo ephakeme.
2. Ukwehlisa Imfundo
Isikweletu sabafundi besingase siqedwe ukube bekungekho lutho obekufanele lukhokhelwe kwasekuqaleni—imfundo, indawo yokuhlala nokudla, izincwadi, nanoma yiziphi ezinye izindleko abafundi abazikhokhayo egameni lemfundo ephakeme. Njengesikweletu ngokwaso, lezi zindleko zikhuphuka kakhulu. Phakathi kuka-2007 no-2012, izifunda ezingu-48 uxhaso oluncishisiwe imfundo ephakeme. Kule minyaka engamashumi amathathu edlule, inani lentengo lokuya ekolishi liye laphindeka ngaphezu kokuphindwe kabili ezikoleni zeminyaka emine futhi lenyuke ngamaphesenti angaphezu kwama-50 ezikoleni zeminyaka emibili. Ngaleso sikhathi, i-Pell Grant yenhlangano ephezulu isuke ekumbozeni cishe izingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zezindleko zekolishi leminyaka emine yaya ekuhlanganiseni ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu kuphela.
Nakuba izinqubomgomo zezikweletu nezifundo zingabukeka zihlukile ephepheni, ukubhekana nokukodwa ngokuvamile kusho ukubhekana nesinye. Lokhu kucace kakhulu emibhikishweni yasemgwaqweni enabantu abangu-1,000 XNUMX, imisebenzi, ukuhlala bodwa, iziteleka, kanye nezinkulumo, lapho ukubaluleka kwemfundo yamahhala ephelele kumisa isisekelo sezinqubomgomo ezithile zemfundo.
Njengelungu le-Student Labour Action Project (SLAP) kanye nesisebenzi se-University of Massachusetts-based Centre for Educational Policy and Advocacy (CEPA), u-Annie Mombourquette ufake isandla sakhe kuzo zombili izimbiza. Indaba yomuntu siqu kaMombourquette iya ngokuya ijwayelekile: ngaphezu kokuba umfundi, usebenzela i-CEPA, ikhaya lasebekhulile, uhlelo lwangemva kwesikole, kanye nehholo lakhe lokuhlala. “Mayelana nalokho, ngenze konke ngendlela efanele, futhi imfundo namanje ayikakwazi ukuyikhokhela,” usho kanje. “Izibalo ziwukuthi, ngikhokha imali engaka ngemfundo, ngithatha lesi sikweletu esingaka.”
Ngenkathi i-SLAP (iqeqebana leMisebenzi Ngamalungelo Ezobulungiswa-AseMelika Emsebenzini) iphusha u-UMass ukuthi akhiphe u-Sallie Mae ohlwini lwayo lwabahlinzeki bemalimboleko abanconyiwe, i-CEPA iqondise u-UMass nezimali ezikhokhwayo. Kule ntwasahlobo, i-CEPA ijoyine abafundi abavela kulo lonke uhlelo lwe-UMass ukuze baphushe umbuso ukuthi wamukele uxhaso olwanele lwemfundo ephakeme ukuze luhlanganise uhhafu wezindleko zokusebenza ze-UMass. Ngokulandelayo, i-UMass ikhethe ukunganyusi imali yokufunda kanye nezimali ezikhokhwayo okokuqala ngqa eminyakeni eyishumi. Manje, abafundi be-UMass baphokophele ukunciphisa lezi zindleko ngenkathi behlangana nabafundi basekolishi lomphakathi ukuze kuqiniswe ukufinyeleleka nokufinyelela.
E-Oregon, inqubomgomo yokufunda isithathe ithuba lokusungula. NgoJulayi, isishayamthetho sezwe savota ngazwi linye ukuze siyalele iKomidi Lokuxhumanisa Lezemfundo Ephakeme lesifundazwe ukuthi lihlanganise isu lokuhlola elithi “Pay It Forward,” elingena esikhundleni semfundo ngemali esekelwe emalini etholwa abafundi ngemva kokuphothula iziqu. Kusuka lapho, ezinye izifundazwe baye phambili nomthetho ofanayo.
Nakuba i-Pay It Forward yaklanywa ngabafundi base-Portland State University futhi yadlulela esishayamthetho ngokwesekwa yi-Working Families Party, ukwesekwa okuvela kubameli abaqhubekayo ngaphansi kokuvumelana. Uhlu lwamaqembu, okuhlanganisa nabanye ababambisene neqembu emkhankasweni kaSallie Mae, caphuna ukukhathazeka ukuthi lolu hlelo luzogcina lubize kakhulu abafundi esikhathini eside futhi lukhuthaze amakolishi ukuthi aqinise ukuqashwa kwabafundi kanye noxhaso lwezimali lohlelo ukuze bathole amathuba okuhola asebephothulile. Ekuvikeleni, inhlangano ibona ukubaluleka kokubhala izivikelo emthethweni futhi iphinde iqinisekise ukuthi yayo ukuzibophezela ekulweleni ukwenyuswa kwezimali zemfundo ephakeme.
3. Ukuhlela (Abanezikweletu) Abasebenzi
Ngokwencazelo, isikweletu sihlasela abafundi uma sebengabafundi. Umsebenzi ohleliwe, ohlanganisa inqwaba yabantu abangemva kwabafundi, usesimweni esiyingqayizivele sokubhekana nakho.
Ku-Service Employees International Union (SEIU), ubulungu obungaphansi kweminyaka engama-35 Uhlelo Lweminyaka Eyinkulungwane isebenzela ukuqinisa ukubamba iqhaza kwezinga nefayela ngokuthi ukugxila ezindabeni ezihambisana nabasebenzi abasebasha. Ngaphezu kokubamba iqhaza emkhankasweni ka-Sallie Mae, amalungu ahlose ukwenza iComcast ngokucwilisa imali emfundweni yomphakathi ePennsylvania.
"Inselelo enkulu njengamanje ukuthi ukubhekana nezikweletu zabafundi kudinga ukuthi izinyunyana zicabange ngaphandle kwebhokisi," kusho u-Austin Thompson, umsunguli kanye nomhleli oholayo wohlelo lweMillennials. “Ukusebenzisa amandla ethu angamalungu eMnyangweni wezeMfundo ukuze kuqiniswe izinhlelo zokuthethelela ukubolekwa kwezisebenzi zikahulumeni kanye nokukhokha okusekelwe emalini kuzofaka imali eningi emaphaketheni amalunga kunanoma iziphi izingxoxo.”
Uqhube wathi, “Abaholi bezinyunyana mancane amathuba okuthi bathole izikweletu ezingeni elifanayo nelesizukulwane esizayo sabaholi abasafufusa, ngakho-ke ukuphuthuma kokugxila kulolu daba akukakafiki. Kuzohamba isikhathi.”
Ezimweni ezilinganiselwe, izinyunyana ziye zaxoxisana ngokukhululeka kwezikweletu zaba yizivumelwano zokuxoxisana ngokuhlanganyela. Abasebenzi abangabafundi abaphothule izifundo zabo, abavame ukukhokha imali yokufunda endaweni efanayo ebanikeza isheke, bawinile ukufundisa. Abasebenzi nabo bawinile intethelelo yemalimboleko ngezifundo eziphathelene nemisebenzi yabo.
Ezinyunyaneni ezinobudlelwano obuqondile nemfundo ephakeme, njengezinyunyana zothisha, ukuqinisa uxhaso lwezemfundo kuwukuwina kwabangase babe yizikweletu kanye nezisebenzi zasenyuvesi. Ngaphandle kokuphusha uxhaso, izinyunyana zithathele phezulu amakolishi okwenza inzuzo, ekhiqiza isikweletu esiningi ngomfundi ngamunye kunezingenzi-nzuzo, futhi ejoyine abafundi ukuze bahlele eduze kuka-Sallie Mae.
4. Ukwakha Izinyunyana Zabakweletayo
Nakuba abakweletayo bengenalo uhlobo lwezivikelo ezingokomthetho zokuteleka noma ukuxoxisana abasebenzi abanazo, babelana ngamakhono okwenza amaqoqo futhi balinganisele. Kulokhu, Shaya isikweletu, ihlumela elikhulu le-Occupy Wall Street, lisebenzela ukwakha izisekelo ezinamandla anele ukuze kuncishiswe izikweletu. Ezingeni eliphezulu kakhulu, abakweletayo bebengabulala izikweletu ngokwehluleka ngobuningi.
NgoSepthemba odlule, Shayela Isikweletu eshicilelwe the Imanuwali Yokusebenza Kwezikweletu Zezikweletu, ipheshana elinamakhasi angu-122 elichaza indlela isikweletu esisebenza ngayo nokuthi singamelana kanjani naso. Ezinyangeni ezimbili kamuva, leli qembu lasingatha umkhankaso walo wokuqala wokuqongelela imali we-“Rolling Jubilee,” okuyisinyathelo sokukhokha izikweletu zomuntu ngamunye—isikweletu sezokwelapha, isikweletu sezindlu, isikweletu sabafundi, nokunye okwengeziwe—ngamanani okuthengisa umlilo. Ngobusuku obubodwa bokubiza abanikeli, kukhuphule u-$500,000. Kulo Novemba, leli qembu lizomemezela umjikelezo walo wakamuva wokuthenga; ekuqaleni konyaka ozayo, ihlela ukukhipha uhlelo olusha lwebhukwana, oluhlanganisa ubuchwepheshe obusha kanye nemininingwane evela ezweni lonke.
“Isinyathelo esilandelayo esinzima siwukucabanga ngokuthi ungawuhlela kanjani ngempela umnyakazo wabantu abakweletayo kazwelonke,” kusho u-Ann Larson, uprofesa ongumxhumanisi owajoyina leli qembu ekuqaleni kwalo. “Singawakha kanjani amasu futhi sisebenzisane nabantu ezweni lonke sibe sigcina ukuzibophezela kwethu emifanekisweni yenhlangano yentando yeningi kanye nezindlela ezingezona zengcindezelo zokusebenza ngokubambisana?”
Ngokuhambisana nokuthuthuka kwayo, i-Strike Debt izuze isabelo sayo sokugxekwa. Abanye phikisa ukuthi abakweletayo basabalele kakhulu, kanye nezikhungo zezezimali zinamandla kakhulu, ukuze ukuhlelwa okusekelwe ezikweletini kube nohlobo lwesu lokusekela ubushoshovu basemsebenzini abanalo. U-Larson uyaphendula, “Umsebenzi we-SD uxhumene nezinhlangano ezimelene nobunxiwankulu kanye nezobungxowankulu ezenzeka emhlabeni wonke…. Lena impi yesikhathi eside futhi thina esiku-SD siyaziqonda kanye nanoma ubani izinselelo esibhekene nazo.”
5. Ukukhuluma Ngayo
Ebusweni behlazo nokuphika, ukwazi okwabiwe phakathi kwabakweletayo kuwumgogodla wokumelana nezikweletu. I Incwadi Yokusebenza Ye-Debt Resistor ifundeka kanje, “Sitshelwa ukuthi konke lokhu kuyiphutha lethu, ukuthi sazifaka kulokhu nokuthi kufanele sizizwe sinecala noma sinamahloni. Kepha cabanga ngezinombolo: Ama-76% abantu baseMelika banezikweletu. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi izingxenye ezintathu kwezine zethu sonke ngandlela-thile sihluleke ukuthola indlela yokuphatha kahle imali yethu, sonke ngesikhathi esisodwa? Futhi kungani kungekho muntu obuzayo ukuthi, 'Sonke simkweleta bani le mali?' nokuthi 'Bayithathaphi imali ababeyibolekile?'”
Okwabelwana ngakho kubonisa indawo enkulu nengalingani yemizabalazo. Kanjalo, ukumelana nezikweletu kunezimo ezijwayelekile zetende elikhulu. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukwanda kwezikweletu kuyizizathu zokuhlanganisa abantu abavela kuzo zonke izinkolelo-mbono kanye nazo zonke izingxenye zabantu. Kodwa, uma sisingathwa ngokungagwegwesi, isikweletu singafihla ukuthi abantu bangobani, sinciphise amathuba okumelana.
Akukona nje kuphela ukuthi isikweletu somfundi a udaba lwekilasi, kuyinto udaba lomjaho: Abafundi abansundu nabaseLatino bakweleta ngaphezulu, futhi ukucwaswa ekuhlinzekeni ngemalimboleko kuyadlanga. Kuphinde kube yinkinga yabesifazane: imali mboleko yabafundi ngaphezulu ukunciphisa emiholweni yabesifazane kunabesilisa. Futhi, njengoba i-Queer Union yaseNyuvesi yaseNew York yaphakamisa enkulumweni yango-Okthoba 3 “Yokuphuma (Esikweletini) Ekhabetheni”, kuyinkinga exakile futhi.
Njengoba uDoug Keeler wabhala ye-NYU, enedumela njengekhampasi enobungani obumangalisayo kanye nenani eliphakeme kakhulu leshadi, “[Lesi] sikhala esiphephile akufanele singibize...isikweletu esingaba yimpilo yonke.” Lapha, ubulili bunqamula izigaba ezahlukene: “Intsha ye-LGBT ayinamakhaya ngamanani aphakeme ngokungenakulinganiswa, futhi ngokuvamile ibhekana nokuhlangana okukhethekile okucwasa abantu abathandana nabobulili obufanayo/ okucashile nezindawo zokukhosela namaphoyisa…. Kulabo bethu abafika lapha, noma abaphuma sisafunda ekolishi, imindeni yethu engasekeli ingase iqhubeke nokucija ubunzima bokubhekana nenani eliphezulu lemfundo ye-NYU.”
Njengobuhlanga, ubulili kanye nobulili, isikweletu yinto okungafanele ukhulume ngayo. Ukuyishaya phansi, abaphikisi kuzodingeka baphule izindlela ezingaphezu kweyodwa zokuthula.
UJames Cersonsky ungumbhali kanye nesishoshovu esizinze ePhiladelphia.
I-ZNetwork ixhaswa kuphela ngokuphana kwabafundi bayo.
Nikela