Great White Conspiracy

I guess the great white conspiracy is still under way. The Birmingham News reports that the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has refused to review a tax case from Alabama.  The case alleges that caps on revenue from property taxes limits the amount of money available to public K-12 schools, which, the case further argues, means less money is available to Alabama's public colleges and universities, which, the case goes on to conclude, means less money is available for financial aid, which -- TA DA! -- means fewer blacks being able to go to college.

 

I guess what the case lacks in merit, the attorneys and plaintiffs deserve some credit for creative writing - if they are still in school.

 

No doubt there are a large number of kids who can't make it to college because they can't afford it. But then again, there are a large number of kids who decide to work their way through college if they don't have the cash or financial aid to pay for it.

 

I'm wondering though what the plaintiffs mean by the term "financial aid". Are they referring only to grants or scholarships: money that doesn't have to be paid back?  Or do they include student loans?

 

If I wanted to be snarky, I'd say that they surely didn't include programs like work-study since those students actually work and provide something in exchange for their cash.