Dave Adelstein ST There is no doubt in ny mind that the Labour Government seriously intends to institute loans for students rather than grantse It is in full accord with its policy of trying to get the social services on the cheape Graduates, it is argued, are in a privileged position so far as solaries are concerned. There is, therefore no reason why they should not repay their 'debtt to the state. This is a discriminatory attack upon graduatese If you are going to attack privilege in salary, then make it comprehensive through7radical progressive taxation systems
The worst aspect of loans, though, is that they would have an inherent class bias.s A working class parent is far less likely to encourage his son or daughter to incur 2 debt of a thousand pounds for the sake of a degree than is a middle class parent. (This additional bies would be on top of the factors already promoting class divisions throughout our educational system.) It seems that the government's plan is to transfer the stage of creaming off the middle class from the age of ll to 18. The tactic thot is being used to intromuce the loans system is this: first the notion is quietly announced; then it is put forward as a serious proposal « the vesponse to which is tremendously antagonistic, There is a huge outcry from the student body, so the Government replies that loans are only being considered in the distant future. But, they add, we must accustom ourselves to the idea of Government loans to certain poste =a graduates and other special students. And, over a period, the institution of loans evolvese The National Union of Students, if it has any guts, must do everything to oppose the policy of loanse Initially, it should do all it can to prevent students from aocepting Government loans. If the students are worthy, N.U.S.. might think of roising grants itself. Further, a national student strike should be organised as soon as possible to demonstrate our unanimous rejection of the policy. This would certainly bring the point home to Mre Prentice, We at the London School of Economics must at least bring out the issues in public, nd inform as many people as possible of the actual implicate ions involved in instituting loans for students, + Reprinted from The Agitator, a journal of socialist discussion started last term within the LSE. vopier are-available, 94 pepe, from Steve Jefferys, 39, Linden Mansions, Hornsey Lane, London Neb»