11/25/2025
Did some late night stitching for advocacy and anger management.
Working in a school system, I see the challenges of operating with a shortage of teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists and nurses every single day.
Now the government has decided that these degrees are not “professional” and student loans for these programs will be limited to $20,500. To finance a degree in occupational therapy, physical therapy speech therapy, education, social work or counseling (just to name a few), students will have to take out high interest or predatory loans, unless their family can afford to pay for it. And let’s face it, the heir/heiress set aren’t lining up to learn how to teach your fourth grader or cover the night shift at in the ER or restore your range of motion after that knee replacement.
Each of these disciplines require degrees and practicums and board certifications and annual continuing education requirements. In other words, they are highly trained PROFESSIONALS.
Each of these professions are already facing nationwide shortages that are impacting daily operations in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, etc.
Everyone will be touched by the limitations of this legislation in some way, because these shortages will only get worse. And the bulk of the burden will fall on the middle and lower income folks.
Congress has an opportunity to fix this. Let’s put pressure on them to do it!
