Opinion: Amherst Has Opportunity To Lead On Student Debt Cancellation

There was a deafening silence on the topic of the student debt crisis at Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address Tuesday night. The crisis affects 44 million Americans and 55% of Massachusetts residents. But it can be easily solved with an executive order. Here in Amherst on Monday (3/7), we have the opportunity to build more pressure on Biden to pick up the pen and sign such an executive order. On March 7, the Amherst Town Council will be considering a resolution that calls for the cancellation of all student debt.

Despite the typical framing of student debt cancellation as something that would benefit just upper middle class students of elite, Ivy League institutions, it is important to understand that student debt weighs upon anyone who pursues any education or training beyond a high school diploma – from vocational training to graduate studies. In fact, student debt bears most heavily on working class students, Black and brown borrowers, and women. As such, student debt cancellation is a racial justice issue, an economic justice issue and a gender equity issue, as two-thirds of student debt is held by women, and Black women hold 20% more student debt than their white peers. Black student borrowers on average carry $25,000 more in student debt than white borrowers.

Additionally, student debt cancellation has the opportunity to build an intergenerational coalition. While often perceived as an issue that affects younger student borrowers, either millennials or generation Z, it is important to keep in mind that one out of five people responsible for student debt is over 50 and that Social Security benefits can be garnished if a borrower falls behind on their debt.

Student debt cancellation is also good for our local economy. As a college town, our local economy depends on the purchasing power of students and recent graduates. Student debt cancellation would impact residents’ ability to live and stay in Amherst. Education is a right that should be accessible to all, and not a commodity that mires our families in debt for generations.

Massachusetts residents are already standing up for student debt cancellation. In January, the Western Massachusetts Area Labor Federation, a coalition of more than sixty public and private sector unions representing more than 30,000 workers in the area, unanimously and enthusiastically endorsed a resolution calling on Biden to cancel all student debt. In February, Northampton city council unanimously passed a similar resolution. The city councils of Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Chelsea have previously passed similar resolutions. Will Amherst join these calls?

I encourage fellow Amherst residents to attend Monday’s town council meeting and voice their support for the resolution co-sponsored by councilors Pat DeAngelis, Ellisha Walker, and Ana Devlin Gauthier. If you are unable to make it to Monday’s meeting, you can submit public comment on the Amherst town council website.

An Amherst resident since 2012, Ian Rhodewalt is a writer and early childhood educator.  He lives with his wife, Courtney, and cat, Pickles, on Pine Street.