Math for the People

1.

This article by Mother Jones¹ [9.11.160] (known for being a left-leaning publication) investigates the history of the student loan debt forgiveness movement, beginning with the activism of Occupy Wall Street in \(2011\) (see Figure 9.9.1) and America's first debtors' union, the Debt Collective.

1. What does the article describe as the origin of the Debt Collective and the movement to cancel student debt from for-profit colleges?

2. Why did Gokey decide to focus on forming a debt collective?

2.

For-profit colleges have defrauded students and led to an increase in student debt; this was a major concern of Occupy Wall Street activists and is described in Figure 9.9.2

In June \(2022\text{,}\) the federal Department of Education automatically canceled all debt currently held by Corinthian Colleges students and alumni} \cite{levintovaEducationDepartmentJust³.

1. What makes Corinthian and other for-profit colleges different from private nonprofit colleges or public universities?

2. Do you agree with the Department of Education's actions?

3. What should the Department of Education do with student loans held by other for-profit colleges, including those who were not as openly fraudulent as Corinthian (who paid companies to hire their students for two days in order to inflate their job placement numbers)?

4. What should the Department of Education do with student loans held by nonprofit colleges?

3.

The following four questions are about the most recent College Board Trends in Student Aid publication⁴ [9.11.147].

1. Explain the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans. (You may have to use other online sources.)

2. When did the federal government begin giving unsubsidized loans to students according to the chart in Trends in Student Aid? (You may also have to use other online sources.)

3. Since the year \(2000\text{,}\) describe the trend for both subsidized and unsubsidized loans.

4.

In \(2022\) and \(2023\text{,}\) the Biden-Harris administration released a plan whose multiple components are designed to decrease the burden of student loan debt on lower-income individuals. Read the White House's announcement of the plan} \cite{thewhitehouseFACTSHEETPresident2022⁵, then answer the following questions.

1. In your own words, describe the three main components of the White House's "student debt relief plan". Who is impacted by each part? What impacts would the plan have on each group?

2. Which do you feel is the most essential component of the plan? Why?

3. What is the current status of this debt relief plan? You may have to do additional research online. Has it been blocked by the courts? Changed by legislation? Implemented in full? Why or why not?

5.

The Atlantic asks, "Who Really Benefits From Student-Loan Forgiveness⁶[9.11.151]?"

1. The article hints that student loan debt has received national attention because college graduates have significant political power. Do you believe that student debt forgiveness is a privileged position to advocate for? Why or why not?

2. Why might student debt exacerbate the racial wealth gap? Do you think it does?

3. Do you believe that canceling student debt helps shrink the racial wealth gap? Why or why not?

4. How could you use statistics to determine whether student loan debt was due to rising tuition/fees, inflation, or as the article mentions, the number of recipients attending grad school? What do you believe?

6.

According to a late 2017 study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development} [9.11.167], the U.S. has the greatest annual average tuition and fees of all surveyed countries charged to nationals of that country. Note that the symbols `a' in the table mean "the category does not apply", while `m' means "data are not available" (missing) \cite{oecdEducationGlance20172017a⁷.

1. What general trends (by continent, region, degree type, or type of institution) do you notice in the table? Explain.

2. What impact may the missing or ``not applicable'' data have on the general trends observed in the table? Explain.

7.

Part of quantitative literacy is being able to critically interpret numbers and mathematics in the news media. To that end, find an article from the last four years involving student loans that makes at least 2-3 numerical claims. The College Board website⁸ or reputable news sources (New York Times, Washington Post, Reuters, Associated Press, etc.) about government policy on student loans and loan forgiveness are good sources,; you're welcome to find your own sources as well. Take the number(s) in your article and do the following:

1. Decide what point the article is trying to make by citing these numbers.

2. Before pulling out an electronic device, brainstorm a list of questions (3-5) you'd like to know about the numbers--things that would help you understand if the numbers are big or small, and whether or not the underlying data actually supports the article's argument.

3. Get online and try to answer your questions.

4. Rate the article's claims on two scales:

   1. How true is the statement? (0 = completely false, 4 = completely true)

   2. How misleading is the statement? (0 = not at all, 4 = totally misleading) (In other words, when you look at the underlying data, does it support the article's point or not?)