BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Supreme Court of the United States has blocked the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan. The president's plan allowed forgiveness for up to $20,000 in student debt for borrowers across the country.
According to the Education Data Initiative, 64 percent of students seeking a bachelor's degree from a public, 4-year college have student loan debt. The average debt for a bachelor's degree sits at roughly $32,000.
The Supreme Court voting to shut down the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan has left some people in Kern County, including Bakersfield resident Caitlin Tierce, wondering how they're going to manage in the current economy.
"I think that is awful. It's really sad to see that people are going to be struggling with this debt that they can't afford when rent is so high and with everything going on," said Tierce. "I don't know, it's awful."
Tierce goes on to say she believes the shutdown of the student loan forgiveness plan will not only impact people's pockets but also the future of workplaces.
"It is so expensive to go to college these days, and we need people being able to be licensed and have certificates to be able to do all sorts of jobs all over the nation," said Tierce.
Many borrowers, including Iran Victoria of Bakersfield, were looking forward to the student loan forgiveness plan, as it could have provided a great amount of financial relief, especially given the impact of inflation the U.S. has seen.
"I could've used it for a couple of things. It could've helped me pay off the other debt that I have, help me renovate the house, help me pay off the house even more," said Victoria. "It could've helped a lot."
Adjunct professor of political science at Taft College and 23ABC political analyst Ian Anderson says he believes the core of the matter at hand is making education accessible and affordable.
"How do we do that and balance costs? It's something that really is impactful and important to the community, because you need education, truly, to be able to engage in the workforce these days," said Anderson.
Anderson adds that campaign promises are things that the voters look forward to seeing being carried out, and says a part of the court's 6-3 vote against the Biden plan had to do with advocacy.
"I think also, looking at the amount of effort with the program, how much was that really going to sway the needle when it comes to debt and things like that? There is nothing to say that the other side couldn't do that as well. It really requires us to pay attention and be involved," said Anderson.
Anderson says despite the impact this will have on people, he believes this is another example of how important it is to express your ideas and perspectives to your local elected officials.
