It was a week of decisions that disappointed many of the demonstrators who gathered outside of the Supreme Court on Friday. In one of its last rulings, the court’s conservative majority blocked President Joe Biden’s federal student loan forgiveness program.

What You Need To Know

  • The Supreme Court’s conservative majority blocked President Joe Biden’s federal student loan forgiveness program

  • According to the White House, 1.4 million Texans had applied for, and were approved to get, student debt relief under Biden’s plan

  • According to federal data, 3.8 million borrowers in Texas owe more than $127 billion in federal student loans

  • President Biden promises the fight is not over after Friday’s ruling

“This whole week with affirmative action, LGBTQ rights and student rights being curtailed, it’s really sad,” Jeremiah Baldwin told Spectrum News outside of the court.

Baldwin, a Corpus Christi native, just graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. He tripled majored in Government, Rhetoric and Writing, as well as African and African Diaspora Studies. The 21-year-old dreams of being an international human rights lawyer. 

“A college degree helps open so many doors for people to be able to go and pursue their dreams and aspirations, and student loans are an inhibitor to that, especially for Black and brown students who are most oftentimes unable to afford going to college,” Baldwin said.

According to the White House, 1.4 million Texans had applied for, and were approved to get, student debt relief under Biden’s plan.

Titus Bryant, who graduated from Prairie View A&M University, was so excited when he and his wife, a fellow graduate, were approved for debt relief. But he feels like that relief has now been snatched away.

The 25-year-old took advantage of the pandemic-related student loan repayment pause while he finished up his master’s degree in Washington, D.C.

“We’re attempting to live. Many of us have a child. I have a 2-year-old who needs child care,” Bryant said. “There’s so many things at play, in just trying to have a lifestyle, and now having to adjust in almost every way possible in every aspect of life, to ensure that life can continue to go on.” 

Biden promised a debt relief plan when he ran for president, and Democrats have made it a priority.

“We are robbing the young while refusing to increase taxes on the wealthy, and bankrupting the future of America in the process,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, in a statement.

Republicans called Biden’s debt forgiveness plan unfair to those who paid back their loans — and to those who did not borrow at all.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said, “The court preserved the fundamental principle of personal responsibility and put an end to the Biden administration’s desperate PR stunt that would have forced taxpayers to pay off other people’s debt.” 

Bryant said he would like to have faith in Congress to work together to address the cost of higher education, and for President Biden to continue pursuing other options to provide relief.

“I put my hope in those, in communities like myself, to organize amongst ourselves, so that families are educated, so that we ourselves can organize together, and then build coalition… and put pressure on the government entities,” Bryant said.  

Biden promises the fight is not over after Friday’s ruling. According to federal data, 3.8 million borrowers in Texas owe more than $127 billion in federal student loans.