Student loan debt: ‘It shouldn’t have to be this way’

Student loan debt is too real. About 48.2 million Americans have it, with an average debt of about $40,000. Of UHS Staff polled, 51.2% had student loan debt, with an average debt in line with the national average.

English teacher Abigail Soto graduated from University of Illinois in 2020. The fear of student loan debt caused an imbalance in her life.

“I was working two jobs, so I earned money to pay it off, but as a result of that I was doing poorly in school,” she said.

Social Studies teacher Adam Harris struggled to pay back student loans which made it more difficult to purchase things he was working for.

“It did [impact his personal life], mostly in the form of not being able to afford many things. and it made it more difficult to purchase a home because of my debt level,” he said.

Harris supports student loan forgiveness just like Alen Romero, another Social Studies teacher, who believes “it shouldn’t have to be this way.”

Romero was very passionate about his beliefs on student loan forgiveness.

“Why is student loan forgiveness so important? Debt is a means of control. When capitalists impose debt restrictions, it keeps you in a cycle of poverty. The only way for us to survive and thrive is for us to gather our power and say no to capitalism,” he said.

It’s a sensitive subject, but can we all come together and solve the problem to eliminate student debt?