Do Pell Grants Discourage Marriage? Republican congressman says, 'yes'

[DonViejo]

Do Pell Grants Discourage Marriage?

Republican congressman’s suggestion during hearing stuns aid experts. Many also object to his claim that students spend their federal aid on “goodies and electronics.”

By Andrew Kreighbaum

March 22, 2017

Toward the end of a nearly three-hour hearing on improving the federal student aid system Wednesday, Representative Glenn Grothman identified an issue with Pell Grants that doesn't get much attention. "Anecdotal evidence" in his district, the Wisconsin Republican said, indicated people are choosing not to marry so they can have incomes low enough to qualify for the need-based aid program.

Asked to respond by Grothman, the panel of witnesses testifying before the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development was for several seconds stunned into silence.

Grothman also argued that first-year students should be barred from receiving Pell Grants to make sure the federal government is not "wasting money" on those who don't graduate. And he suggested that low-income recipients are spending the grant aid on "goodies and electronics." Those students could pay for college by taking out loans, he said.

Barmak Nassirian, director of federal relations and policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, said taking Pell from first-year students gets the issue "upside down" when most scholarly and policy discussions have begun to focus on front-loading grants. As for Pell's impact on marriage, he said there is anecdotal evidence for "everything under the sun."

"I'm not in a position to deny he ran into two people who told him that, but I'm not sure what to do with that information," Nassirian said.

more
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/03/22/republican-member-congress-says-pell-grants-discourage-marriages

[get the red out]

1. Then he should support free higher education

If he is that concerned with other people's business on the matter.

[Demsrule86]

9. The most you can get is around $6000.00 for all four years...so I doubt it.

If you a re under 24 (you get to fill out your own FAFSA at 24 and not be under your parents) and married you qualify for student loans on your own income (in most case little to none)and not your parents. Thus you get more aid at a lower at a lower interest. Yes, I had to dissuade my youngest from marrying for this reason. We are paying her school this year as we get little from the government and took out a parent loan for next year.

[mercuryblues]

2. Sounds to me

like he was rebuffed by a woman who put her education 1st. 60 - 66% of recipients of Pell grants are female (the rate varies depending on year and degree sought) Just another way to make women pay because of their uterus.

[Wounded Bear]

4. Quite possibly...

It has always been my contention that all young folks should consider delaying marriage until they are better set in their lives. That goes for men and women. Conservatives want to keep women ignorant, barefoot, and pregnant. They also want men tied down in subsistence (or below) level jobs. Gotta keep the proles in their place.

BTW, "delaying marriage" to me includes full access to all forms of birth control, up to and including abortion on demand. Nunama-none of my business.

[DFW]

3. Anecdotal evidence is SO compelling.

Of course, Grimm's fairly tales and Mother Goose Rhymes are anecdotal, too, so be prepared for a coming Republican resolution to forbid eating curds and whey while sitting on a tuffet in areas known for spider infestation.

[Wounded Bear]

5. Don't discount the wisdom esconced in fairy tales and old jingles...

The trick, as you point out, is in recognizing how metaphor differs from reality and being able to convert the mythological/psychological lessons in such tales into real life situations.

[DFW]

6. "And the moral of the story is....."

....something the Republicans are not interested in, whatever it is.

[Moostache]

7. A forward looking nation would laugh this fool out of the room in 10 seconds...

What a jackass.

I truly hope that the people of his district are mortified by the breadth AND depth of the idiot's ineptitude. There has got to be a reckoning in America between the educated (and those who seek to EXPAND that pool of educated people) and the idiots (who clearly are working at the behest of special interests that wish to keep people dumb and pacified as long as possible).

In the 1950's America was terrified of the "Red Scare". It forced HUGE investments in NASA, Military technology and even shaped the science and math curricula for schools to emphasize the scientific method and teaching of rational thought. The backlash to this is the modern "conservative" movement, which contrary to popular belief does not want to "Make America Great Again", they want to "Make America 1859 Again". Everything positive since then - women's suffrage, the New Deal - especially Social Security, Civil Rights, the Great Society (especially Medicare and Medicaid), Marriage Equality, Affordable Care Act - are the things they wish to eliminate.

One of the most important tools for them is attempting to limit education and throw dispersions on scientific studies they find objectionable for fiscal reasons. Its been working all too well for far too long and if we do not start openly mocking these idiots and embarrassing the people who keep electing them, then they WILL WIN.

The game's not over yet, but to lean on a March-centric analogy...it's late in the game and we have the choice to watch them hold the ball and run out the clock or start fouling their 50% free throw shooters and make them earn the game by actually making their foul shots. These people are championing indefensible positions....foul them! Make them stand at the line and sink their free throws...we all know they can't....and they know it too!

[Jake Stern]

8. People shouldn't be marrying around college age anyway

Personally I believe that the minimum age for marriage should be at least 25, preferably 30. That would give them time to become established in their careers and lives.

[erpowers]

12. I Agree

This country should start encouraging young people to get married at a later age. I do not think it would be that bad of a thing to even encourage high school kids to not seriously date. They should be encouraged to find friends and create lasting bonds with people, but not really date. They should use those years to focus on school and having fun. From the ages of 17-28 they should be encouraged to travel and have adventures. They should be encourage to leave their state and leave the country at least once a year if possible. Finally, they should be encouraged to do things like participate in the running of the bulls, see the great barrier reef, climb mountains, and go to festivals in the United States and abroad. I realize some of this is very expensive, but even for young people who do not have a large amount of money I think they should try to travel the United States and just live their lives for a few years as single people.

[Johonny]

10. A Republican is a person that worries about the less than 1% that might be scamming

instead of the 99% that are helped by programs. Always, they worry about the horrible abuse of our systems designed to help people and its always it turns out this abuse is either insignificantly small or downright fantastical particularly in terms of comparing to people helped.

We should end loans and make college a grant based system. It's better for the economy, the future, national defense etc... but then we'd not be helping out a few companies that make tons of money on student loans, but offer no other benefit to our society.

[erpowers]

11. I Assume This Guy Did Not Go to College

Either Rep. Grothman did not attend college, or he had rich parents who paid his way through college. It seems this guy does not have a clue how much some students struggle to pay for college. I doubt many college student use their Pell Grant money to go out and buy "goodies and electronics". It is possible that some student through a combination of scholarships, federal aid, and timing end up having have more than enough money to pay for their college bill. As a result, those student get refund checks.

If Rep. Grothman and others want to stop students from getting refund checks they should just prevent students from getting refund checks from government aid. They could enact a law that states if a student ends up having too much money, for that particular semester/quarter, as a result of government aid the extra money, if the individual will be a student the next semester, will be rolled over to pay for the next semester's bill. If the student will be graduating then the extra money will be taken back by the government and given to other students attending that school.

This could be beneficial in two ways. First, the kids that need more financial help get that help. Second, the kids who do not need additional money do not unnecessarily go deeper into debt.

[hatrack]

13. Do you know how freaking broke you have to be to get a Pell Grant?

"Most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000."

https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/grants/federal-grants/