Ratcliff is a former special education teacher and is a justice advocate with over 20 years’ experience. She is an ambassador for the Ann Arbor City Council’s A2Zero Carbon Neutrality Plan, serves on Ann Arbor’s Commission on Disability Issues (CODI), and is a Vice-Chair of the The Washtenaw County Democratic Party’s Communications Committee. Ratcliff is a Fellow at the OpEd Project.
In a series of seismic shifts that could echo for generations, the Supreme Court's recent decisions on student debt relief and affirmative action have placed sizable roadblocks on the path to socioeconomic mobility for marginalized communities. These rulings are more than just a hiccup in the pursuit of education equity; they are potential derailments of aspirations in fields like environmental justice, environmental engineering, public health, and climate science.
When the Supreme Court shot down President Biden's ambitious student loan forgiveness plan, a crucial financial lifeline was yanked away from those who, despite economic hardships, dared to dream of a higher education. For those who aspire to contribute to fields such as environmental justice and climate change adaptation – sectors which require specialized, often costly, education – the financial burden of student loans can be prohibitive.
Some might suggest that Pell grants or public service loan forgiveness programs are sufficient alternatives. However, these programs have blind spots that make them less effective for certain demographic groups. It leaves out the large number of middle class racial minorities and perpetuates the stereotype that Black or Brown equals poverty. Furthermore, public service loan forgiveness programs often mandate working for nonprofits, where wages may not be competitive or a job may not even be feasible depending on the students’ major.
In response to these issues, the Biden administration introduced the Saving on a Valuable Education ( SAVE) plan in 2022 as a backup if the Supreme Court ruled against student loan forgiveness. This income-driven repayment (IDR) plan aims to provide more manageable monthly payments and broader loan forgiveness than previous models. The SAVE plan calculates payments based on their definition of disposable income (AGI - 225% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guideline amount for your family size) rather than the previous formula of AGI - 150% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guideline amount for your family size.
However, while the SAVE Plan is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, it's crucial to recognize that it, too, may fall short of providing a comprehensive solution. Under the SAVE Plan, a $0 monthly payment applies to those earning less than 225% of the Federal Poverty Line ( FPL), which currently translates to roughly $32,000/year for a single person or $17/hour. While this might appear generous, it's hardly sufficient considering the costs of housing, food, and other necessities. It’s also quite low if a job requires a university degree. Many starting salaries in the nonprofit sector and early-career stages in climate fields surpass this income level, thereby excluding these individuals from the full benefits of the plan. Consequently, this threshold should be raised to at least 400% FPL (approximately $54,000 for a single person) to truly benefit those with middle incomes and provide them with a more manageable repayment structure.
Despite the benefits of these grants and repayment plans, there's a critical oversight: the looming specter of compound interest on student loans, which can stretch a 5-10 year commitment into a 15-20 year financial burden. Graduating at 25, many individuals continue repaying loans well into their 40s. This burden directly influences life choices, such as where to live, what transportation to use, the choice between fast fashion outfits and sustainable fabrics, and more.
Simultaneously, the Supreme Court's decision to curb affirmative action in college admissions threatens to stifle the very diversity within our academic institutions and, by extension, sectors that require such higher education. This ruling shakes the very foundations of innovation and progress that a diverse student body brings.
To be sure, while HBCUs have been suggested as a solution to this ruling, many are underfunded and cannot afford to waive or lower tuition, and a significant proportion are private institutions, meaning students still accrue hefty debt burdens. Although a crucial part of the educational landscape, HBCUs mainly cater to African American students, leaving other marginalized communities without an equitable education solution.
To navigate this intricate landscape of financial and educational inequity, we need broad-based, systemic solutions. The U.S. Department of Education must increase funding to underfunded HBCUs, switch student loan repayments from disposable to discretionary income, increase the earnings threshold to 400% FPL, dramatically lower or eradicate interest rates on student loans, include climate-related fields in forgiveness programs, increase debt forgiveness for AmeriCorps members, and elevate the income threshold for Pell Grants to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level to help more families not incur debt.
The Supreme Court's rulings form a formidable barrier to environmental justice. They make it challenging for marginalized individuals to access the necessary education and resources to make their mark in environmental fields, undermining our collective fight against climate change.
Our society needs a diverse cadre of bright minds in the environmental justice and climate change adaptation fields now more than ever. But to achieve this, we must clear the path for everyone, regardless of their background, by reconsidering how our laws and policies shape the opportunities available to marginalized communities. The fight for environmental justice is not just about the climate – it is about equity, diversity, and the future of our world.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks to voters at a town hall at the Elks Lodge 188 on June 7, 2026, in Portland, Maine.
McConnell and Platner both feel entitled
The two men could not be more different. One, a Republican, octogenarian, seven-term Southern senator, the other a progressive, millennial Maine oysterman who’s never spent a day in elected office.
But Mitch McConnell, the senior senator from Kentucky who’s been MIA for the past few weeks and Graham Platner, the Maine Senate candidate who’s facing calls to drop out of his race against Sen. Susan Collins, apparently do have something in common: an outsized sense of entitlement.
McConnell, who is 84 and not running for reelection, has been hospitalized for three weeks, and yet we still don’t fully know what he was admitted for or what his condition is. Per CNN, “his office has not disclosed a medical reason for the hospitalization or provided specifics on his health status beyond saying last week that he ‘continues to improve’ and ‘is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters.’ ”
While several legislators have said they’ve talked to him and insist he sounds strong, others have said they are completely in the dark. One MAGA influencer, Laura Loomer, posted ”High level source close to the White House tells me ‘Mitch McConnell is officially brain dead. He’s not coming back.’ ”
Meanwhile, up in Maine, Platner has been artfully dodging calls from his own party to drop out of his race after several allegations of misconduct from women, including a sexual assault allegation from a former girlfriend, came to light. While Platner, who has managed to survive a Nazi-tattoo scandal, a sexting scandal, and several old tweets scandals, denies the allegations, he has not quit.
High-profile Democrats including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer, the latter of whom had unsuccessfully hand-selected Maine Gov. Janet Mills to face Collins instead of Platner, have urged Platner to drop out, while other Dems have accused him of trying to influence the picking of his replacement.
Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson released a statement Tuesday, which said in part:
“Unfortunately, Graham Platner’s team has repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like. We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate nor in determining what this process looks like.”
Both incidents show a deep lack of accountability to voters, who in one case deserve to know whether their senator is capable of performing his duties, and in another deserve a candidate who isn’t being accused of crimes, bigotry and deception.
The offensive and odious entitlement of both McConnell and Platner stands out not because it is particularly unique among today’s political class. Tom Kean, the New Jersey GOP congressman, missed more than 100 votes, only sharing after a three-month mystery absence that he was dealing with depression.
Former President Joe Biden’s Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin failed to disclose a hospitalization for prostate cancer surgery, flouting the established rules for Cabinet members and senior U.S. officials.
From Biden’s insistence on running for reelection despite his obvious cognitive and political weaknesses to Trump’s brazen flouting of laws and norms, few politicians seem to appreciate that their public service job comes with responsibilities to constituents, including transparency and honesty.
But both parties increasingly justify the chicanery, because the stakes of winning elections and keeping power are simply too high. But that’s no excuse. If we’ve learned anything over the past decade, it’s that character and accountability do, in fact, matter. And when we, the voters, stop caring about it, well, so do they.
S.E. Cupp is the host of "S.E. Cupp Unfiltered" on CNN.