Supreme Court's Student Loan Decision Underscores Need for Broad-Based Public Goods

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Taifa Smith Butler, President of Dēmos, a movement-oriented think tank committed to racial justice, released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court's decision in  Biden v. Nebraska:   

"We strongly condemn the Court’s ruling. Invalidating the Biden Administration's student loan debt forgiveness plan, undermines pathways to economic opportunity and prosperity for tens of millions of American borrowers.  

"The Supreme Court's decision is another boulder on the chests of millions of people burdened by the suffocating weight of lifelong student loan debt. Dēmos stands in solidarity with those impacted by this unjust ruling and calls on the Biden Administration and Congress to take immediate action to rectify this grave injustice, ensuring that the voices of the people are heard. This ongoing crisis undermines the promise of higher education, leaving millions of people to put their dreams and lives on hold because of the crushing pain of student loan debt.

“A quality education is a civil right and a public good. It is also an essential tool for dismantling systemic racism and entrenched economic inequity.

A quality education is a civil right and a public good. It is also an essential tool for dismantling systemic racism and entrenched economic inequity.

The Biden Administration’s plan to cancel student debt for millions of Americans was an opportunity to remedy harm caused by a system that only works for the extremely wealthy. As Dēmos explained in 2019, canceling student debt is necessary to address the harm that a debt-financed higher education system has inflicted on millions of Americans. The burden of student debt disproportionately impacts Black and brown students, blocking their ability to build wealth and economic power.  

“Student debt should not exist. This decision further demonstrates why we need to eliminate debt-financed higher education and finally make higher education a broad-based, public good.

Student debt should not exist. This decision further demonstrates why we need to eliminate debt-financed higher education and finally make higher education a broad-based, public good.

Public goods are the critical scaffolding of our economy, ensuring that people and their families can thrive. The people need an equity-centered debt relief agenda now.”  

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