When Discussing Loan Forgiveness, There’s More Than Just Student Debt

“Relief that starts and stops with student loans is merely distracting from larger issues.”

Recently, I came across a tweet by Kayla (@KAYbeginskiss): “A lot of poor people don’t have student loans…they have payday loans and medical debt, and an inflated car payment. They deserve to have their debt erased just like college grads.”

And, indeed, forgiving only student loan debt is classist. Other forms of debt cause active harm, too. Simply, all debt should be forgiven to help foster not just economic prosperity but basic wellness.

Let me explain.

But, first, I will provide a note of positionality because objectors will want to know. Thanks to savings, to teaching, and especially to many generous scholarships, I never had student loan debt. I still support forgiving all loans. I also support a guaranteed basic income and Medicare for all. It is just the moral thing to do.

Some people in the United States are effectively too poor to attend college. They have not had the opportunity to acquire student loan debt. Application fees and transportation costs are only two obstacles that present substantial barriers. And, take note, Kayla’s tweet does not say—and I am not saying—that poor people never have debt from tuition and textbooks. Such individuals with the very least amount of capital are, however, often indebted to pawnshops, to payday loan businesses, and to other wealthy predators of the Imperialist White Supremacist Capitalist (Heteronormative Ableist Theistic) Patriarchy.