Bob Deutsch

The Indentured Class: The Social Costs of Student Debt (KPCC Forum Series)

Debbie Cochrane, Maureen McRae Goldberg, Devon Graves, Perry Wong, Melanie Sill, Matt Horton, Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, Shane Bush, Inez Bush, Dustin Davis, Michael Hopper, Rabbi Jason Rosner, Caroline, Jennifer Childress, Bob Deutsch, Amber Carter, Ramon

Co-presented by KPCC and the Milken Institute, the "Rescuing the California Dream" series convenes experts including Melanie Sill, Debbie Cochran, and Perry Wong to examine the economic impact of soaring student debt on Southern California's workforce and social stability. Panelists detailed alarming statistics, such as the 99% of borrowers owing under $100,000 and the severe default rates at for-profit institutions, while discussing structural barriers like the lack of bankruptcy protections and the "brain drain" of educated workers fleeing high-cost living areas. The dialogue concluded with policy recommendations ranging from expanded income-driven repayment plans and institutional risk-sharing models to mandatory financial literacy education, aiming to shift the focus from merely reporting problems to enacting concrete solutions for an affordable future.