Sherrod’s Bill Would Prevent Rate Hike On 382,000 Ohio Students; Josh Mandel Has Repeatedly Refused To Support It

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Today, in response to Josh Mandel’s repeated refusals to support Senator Sherrod Brown’s bill to prevent interest rates for student loans from doubling on July 1, student leaders from across Ohio sent a letter to Mandel, urging him to publically support Brown’s bill and prevent a rate hike on 382,000 Ohio students.

When asked by The Columbus Dispatch where he stood on Sherrod’s bill last week, Mandel said that college degrees were unnecessary. Instead of embracing Sherrod’s bill, he urged young people to pursue vocational degrees, clearly unaware that Stafford loans are frequently used to pay for vocational and trade schools.

This week he bizarrely went further. In an interview with The Youngstown Vindicator, Mandel took a firm stand in support of school uniforms, hall monitors and policies that would ban students from talking in hallways, but again refused to throw his support behind Sherrod’s bill.

See an excerpt from the letter, below:

We appreciate that you are fighting for reforms that would give us permission to use the bathroom; we only wish that you would stand up and support changes to allow us to afford our time in the classroom.

That’s why we’re pledging to you now, if you publically support Sherrod’s bill to stop student loan interest rates from doubling, we will abide by your wishes and walk silently through the hallways of our schools.

Complete text of the letter urging Mandel to support Sherrod’s bill:

May 17, 2012

To Mr. Josh Mandel:

Last month your U.S. Senate race opponent Senator Sherrod Brown introduced The Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act, a bill that would prevent interest rates for student loans from doubling and dramatically increasing loan repayments for 382,000 Ohio students.

While Sherrod is leading the fight to keep college affordable, you have repeatedly refused to support his bill or explain your opposition to it.

Last week, when asked by a reporter where you stood on Sherrod’s bill, you stated you would not “cast imaginary votes.”

When asked the same question by The Columbus Dispatch later that day, you said that college degrees were unnecessary. Instead of embracing Sherrod’s bill, you urged young people to pursue vocational degrees, despite the fact that countless students use federal Stafford loans to pay for vocational and trade schools.

Most recently, during an interview with The Youngstown Vindicator, you took a firm stand in support of school uniforms, hall monitors and policies that would ban students from talking in hallways, but when it came to preventing student loan interest rates from doubling, you would not take a stand.

We appreciate that you are fighting for reforms that would give us permission to use the bathroom; we only wish that you would stand up and support changes to allow us to afford our time in the classroom.

That’s why we’re pledging to you now, if you publically support Sherrod’s bill to stop student loan interest rates from doubling, we will abide by your wishes and walk silently through the hallways of our schools.

We eagerly anticipate your taking a stand either for or against this critical issue for Ohio’s students.

Sincerely,

Daniel Rajaiah& Bryan Staul

Co- Chairs, Students for Sherrod Brown

 

Colleen Ryan

Bowling Green State University

 

Mike Bombincheck

Cleveland State University

 

Sara Valentine

Ohio State University

 

Mallory Kimble

Ohio State University

 

James Murkat

Kent State University

 

Heather Engle

University of Toledo

 

Holly Chrisitan

University of Dayton

 

Dan Traicoff

University of Cincinnati

 

Matt Metz

Kenyon College

Shannon Welch

Ohio University

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Paid for by Friends of Sherrod Brown