Washington – Readers of this blog will not be surprised to find me in agreement with much of what the New York Times said yesterday in an editorial about the U.S. Department of Education. Its subhead read, in words hard to improve upon, that the department "lies in ruins...."
Excerpt:
Yet another set of lawsuits has shown how the companies that are handsomely paid to collect student loans aggravate the debt crisis by giving advice that costs borrowers money while earning the companies cash.
Comments I have heard after the appearance of the editorial, however, are not all complimentary. "What took them so long," was one. "Where have they been? They should have been all over this as it was happening," was another.
That's true. And it was only at the very end that the editorial got around to noting the issues with student loan servicers, with an outdated link at that.
These scandals have been covered in this blog for a long time. But it's good, at long last, to have company of any kind, however tardy, however inadequate.
What is the new secretary of education going to do about profound problems in federal student financial aid programs?
Unfortunately, the history of the department does not suggest early resolution. Most secretaries in the past have been oriented toward K-12 education and do not learn about higher education failures until too late.
That must not happen again. The Biden Administration needs to staff top department positions with those who have been fighting fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption all along, not those who will have a long learning curve or, heaven forbid, those who will be eager to perpetuate the mistakes of the past. This is not a time for revolving door appointments.
The New York Times can do us all a favor by following up its editorial with hard-hitting news stories that further substantiate its positions, and hold the new administration's feet to the fire on ways for the department to rise from the ruins.
That's true. And it was only at the very end that the editorial got around to noting the issues with student loan servicers, with an outdated link at that.
These scandals have been covered in this blog for a long time. But it's good, at long last, to have company of any kind, however tardy, however inadequate.
What is the new secretary of education going to do about profound problems in federal student financial aid programs?
Unfortunately, the history of the department does not suggest early resolution. Most secretaries in the past have been oriented toward K-12 education and do not learn about higher education failures until too late.
That must not happen again. The Biden Administration needs to staff top department positions with those who have been fighting fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption all along, not those who will have a long learning curve or, heaven forbid, those who will be eager to perpetuate the mistakes of the past. This is not a time for revolving door appointments.
The New York Times can do us all a favor by following up its editorial with hard-hitting news stories that further substantiate its positions, and hold the new administration's feet to the fire on ways for the department to rise from the ruins.
