FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 30, 2023

CONTACT: Camila Navarrette, Communications Director

Camila@NewEraColorado.org (323-423-5898)

PRESS RELEASE: Recent SCOTUS Rulings Place Young People’s Education and Futures in Jeopardy

DENVER, CO – This week, the Supreme Court issued a series of devastating opinions, two of which seriously threaten young people’s financial and educational futures. In the 6-3 Biden v. Nebraska decision released by the Supreme Court today, President Biden’s student debt proposal that would have canceled up to $20,000 for some student loan borrowers has been struck down. Additionally, yesterday the Supreme Court ruled in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard that colleges can no longer specifically consider race in college admissions, overturning nearly 50 years of precedent for affirmative action across the country.

In response to the rulings, New Era Colorado has released the following statements: 

“As we’ve seen starkly since the Dobbs decision and overturn of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court does not care about young people or our futures,” said Nicole Hensel, executive director of New Era Colorado. “In light of our Draconian Supreme Court, young people need and deserve federal champions fighting for a more equitable education system now more than ever. We have yet to see our Colorado elected officials step up to the plate to defend student debt and young people are reeling from the impacts. May we remind our federal elected officials who the real decision-makers are here: the voters, of which young people currently constitute as one-third of and our numbers keep growing. We’re committed to organizing in powerful numbers until Youth Agenda champions who are committed to canceling student debt are in positions of power across the country.”

“Millions of young people are now bracing with the reality that our higher education system was and is not for everyone,” said Christina Soliz, deputy director of New Era Colorado. “The decisions uniquely impact Black, indigenous, and other students of color by blocking a major path to build generational wealth. However, these decisions have revealed the truth that students of color have known for centuries: the American tale of education as the great equalizer is a myth. These institutions were never designed to provide opportunities for poorer, Black and brown students; they are gated communities for the white and wealthy to systematically solidify their power. But we know we are a multi-racial future and we won’t stop until we have a Supreme Court that actually represents the wills of our diverse communities.”

Student Borrowers Protection Center Deputy Executive Director Persis Yu also provided the following statement:

“Today’s decision is an absolute betrayal to 40 million student loan borrowers and their families counting on the court to uphold the law and move them closer to economic freedom. Caving to craven and naked political interests, this court relied on convoluted reasoning and distorted facts to allow these two politically contrived cases to deny desperately needed relief to tens of millions of low-income and working-class student loan borrowers. The government’s own data shows restarting repayment on September 1 without cancellation will result in millions of borrowers experiencing unprecedented levels of financial distress. President Biden must use all the tools at his disposal to protect borrowers and deliver on his promise to 40 million student loan borrowers.”

If you would like to speak with New Era Colorado about the fight for student debt cancellation and a more equitable higher education system, please contact Communications Director Camila Navarrette at camila@neweracolorado.org. Please direct any inquiries to the Student Protection Borrower Center to Jackie at jackie@protectborrowers.org. 

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New Era Colorado is a grassroots and nonpartisan nonprofit that organizes and mobilizes young people to participate in the political process.