I am a former BCTI (Business Computer Training Institute) student. I was also part of a class action lawsuit in the state of Wasington against this now defunct school.

The Court has previously ruled that the following people and entities are class members: All persons enrolled in Business Computer Training Institute (BCTI) from its inception in 1985 to the time of its closure on March 14, 2005 at any campus in Washington State.

Who failed to received the education, training, and assistance to their contract and/or were induced into enrollment through fraud, violations of RCW 19.86.020, and violations of RCW 9A.82.100.

The former students did receive a class action lawsuit settlement in December 2007. I'm glad that I joined the fight against BCTI. I'm also glad to help in trying to get new laws enacted.

These new laws are great for preventing this BCTI debacle from happening to other students. However, when it comes to the former students, who are stuck with student loans from BCTI, what is being done to help them?

Many former students, including myself, are stuck with student loans from attending BCTI. The lawsuit settlement may have helped to a degee with some of the damages but did not cover the issue of the student loans.

Why are any of the former BCTI students paying for sub-standard education they received fram a now defunct school? It does not make sense. We cannot use the training from BCTI to get jobs or use on resumes.

We can't even attempt to apply for another loan to attend a good and reputable college, because the old student loan from BCTI is still in place.

I even did write letters to both Senators of the State of Washington., Marie Cantwell and Patty Murray. I didn't receive any positive response concerning the student loan issue.

What did I receive instead? Continuing harassment and threats from the Dept. of Education. I have been threatened with Treasury Offsets and threats of seizing my future Social Security benefits just to pay for a student loan from a defunct school (BCTI).

The impression that I get from our politicians is that the whole student loan issue is really not that important enough for their attention. Whenever you hear that a politian says that they care about the quality of education in this country, they are more so referring to K-12.

Politicians do not seem to be all that concerned with the quality of education in colleges. The impression that I get from the Dept. of Ed. is that they are a money-grubbing juggernaut whose favorite color is green, that claims they are right and you are wrong, that they stop at nothing at retreiving of what is owed on the student loans for a defunct school. This is wrong!

Paying for sub-standard education is a ripoff. We don't need threats or anything seized. What we need is leglislation passed to write off these student loans for all the former students that have attended BCTI.

Scott
Vancouver, Washington
U.S.A.