On June 1, 2005, a fund raiser for a scholarship program was organized by the Drug Reform Coordination Network (DRCNet) to provided financial aid to college students. The John W. Perry Fund is a program set up by DRCNet to provide scholarships to those who are being denied aid or aid is being delayed because of drug convictions. John Perry was a 9/11 hero and New York City Police officer who lost his life trying to save others at the World Trade Center. More than 50 Seattle area drug law reform advocates, educators and political figures, attended the gathering that was sponsored by the King County Bar Association and emceed by KCBA's Roger Goodman.
Rep. Jim McDermott, a U.S. Congressman from Seattle, has taken a stand to oppose the drug war and work for the repeal of the federal law provision of the Higher Education Act (HEA) that was put in place in 1998 to deny financial aid for college to those with a prior drug conviction. McDermott called the drug war, an absolute, abject failure. More than 165,000 students have been denied loans, grants, and work-study jobs, since the passage of this provision. Also, in attendance was Seattle City Councilman Nick Licata.
Speakers were, David Borden, executive director of DRCNet, Lisa Cipollone from Sen. Maria Cantwell's office, Andy Ko, director of the ACLU of Washington's Drug Policy Reform Program who talked of his personal relationship with John Perry, and Cindy Beavon, a Seattleite who attends Brown University, spoke for Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and Dan Merkle, executive director from the Center for Social Justice. David Guard, associate director of DRCNet, asked for donations for the Perry Fund and encouraged the attendees to add-on to their pledges in order to provide additional scholarships. John Perry's mother, who was not in attendance, made a pledge of $1,000.00 in honor of the event and her son.
To put in perspective, how ludicrous this law is, Clarkson Reed, a substance abuse counselor and harm reduction advocate spoke at the gathering. Reed was arrested and incarcerated with a five year sentence for $640.00 worth of drugs. He attended school during his incarceration and then attended the University of Washington where he graduated with honors in 1997, before the drug provision was passed. He now wishes to return to college for his Masters degree, but with the 1998 provision, he can't get a student loan. Reed works with homeless youth and IV drug users, doing harm reduction work because he was allowed federal funding to attend college. But now, is being penalized (again) by not being allowed additional funding through Federal Financial aid.