In summary

Student loan forgiveness will give California more teachers and give our struggling children smaller class sizes.

By Christy Hutton, Watsonville

Christy Hutton is Head of the Kirby School in Santa Cruz.

Re “Biden’s debt forgiveness plan would help millions of California students”; Education, Jan. 12, 2021

Many arguments have been made in favor of debt forgiveness that include mention of freeing college graduates to pursue careers in public service. It’s important to underscore the now-pressing need to afford this encouragement to graduates that could fill the huge gap of qualified teachers in the labor force.

Teaching during the pandemic is a herculean feat, especially in California where schools have remained closed to in-person instruction for so long. It is driving many to early retirement and those with young children at home have had to step back. There was a shortage of teachers before the pandemic began and it is only getting worse.  

Student loan forgiveness will give California more teachers and give our struggling children smaller class sizes. After a year in which tens of thousands of children have received little to no education, smaller class sizes will be essential to support these students in reaching their potential. This action will lift up lower income communities across generations and is long overdue.

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