Dear Federal Loan Department: What is public service?

Dignity. Gratitude. Public Loan Forgiveness Program thanked me for my service today July 10, 2023. They didn’t mention the 45 extra payments I made, but I don’t care. I am grateful.

PS. 6 months later I recieved a letter saying the opposite of this. My loan is still unpaid even though I have fulfilled the requirements of Obama’s deal.

4/11/2024

Dear President Biden

The Federal Loan Department has not counted my payments correctly.

In July, 2023, I received the letter of congratulations and a refund from Mohela. In fact, not only had I fulfilled the 120 months, but I had overpaid. They issued a refund for the overpayment.

Recently, I received a letter from the Federal Loan Department saying that they were very sorry but I have not yet fulfilled the requirements.

Please consider actively helping me with this issue.

Here is the issue:

Overall, I have been actively teaching as a Washington Certified ELA instructor for 26 years and I am 60 years old and single. I have fulfilled the requirements of the 2008 Obama Deal which was 120 payments while in public service.

I worked for 20 years in brick and mortar, then was unable to continue, due to health concerns. Fortunately, I had made a deal with Obama in 2008 and by 2018 I had fully paid this off, but my loan had changed hands and somehow they lost track of me. I would like to repeat this: I paid this off.

Since 2018, I have taught full-time for 6 years online, for a company called Imagine Learning. Online, I am paid 1/2 as much and I work with the same public school kids, and more. In this job, I am required to keep my teaching certification updated, and in fact I have completed the requirements to be a certified teacher in CA as well, which has meant 6 or 7 tests, including an ELL component. I am serving more students than ever. In fact I usually have about 260 students at one time, with no summer break. I'm fine with all that because it allows me to work with students from home.

To repeat, I am 60 years old now and have retired from the TRS2 system. This helps me survive but I am not able to walk back into the brick and mortar setting, much less work there.

Please help me with this. Thank you so much.

Cheryl Ray

304 W. 5th Ave # 104

Ellensburg, WA 98926

Please also consider this letter I wrote, addressing the issue of not considering online teaching as public service.

Online Teachers are public servants, too!

I am writing to advocate for the inclusion of full-time online teachers in the approved public servant category for the Federal Loan Forgiveness Program.

As the COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant disruptions to traditional education, online teachers emerged as frontline educators, dedicating their time and expertise to ensure students continue to receive quality education despite the challenging circumstances.

The pandemic has compelled educational institutions across the nation to shift their teaching methods to online platforms to ensure the safety of students and educators alike. As a result, online teachers have become an integral part of the educational system, shouldering the responsibility of imparting knowledge, providing support, and maintaining a positive learning environment for students. Their commitment and dedication deserve recognition and consideration for the Federal Loan Forgiveness Program.

Here are several compelling reasons to support the inclusion of full-time online teachers in the approved public servant category:

1. Equivalent Service: Online teachers demonstrate the same level of commitment, professionalism, and impact on students' lives as their counterparts in traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms. Their work is instrumental in shaping the educational landscape and ensuring continuity of learning during these unprecedented times.

2. Meeting Critical Needs: The inclusion of full-time online teachers in the approved public servant category would help address the critical need for qualified educators in an evolving educational landscape. By acknowledging their contributions, we can attract and retain talented individuals who possess the skills necessary to excel in online teaching.

3. Educational Equality: Online teaching has opened doors to education for students who face barriers to attending physical schools, including those with disabilities, health issues, geographical limitations, or other personal circumstances. Recognizing full-time online teachers as eligible for loan forgiveness would support efforts to provide equal educational opportunities to all students, regardless of their location or circumstances.

4. Financial Hardships: Full-time online teachers often face financial burdens associated with pursuing higher education and professional development opportunities to improve their teaching skills. The inclusion of online teachers in the Federal Loan Forgiveness Program would alleviate some of these financial burdens, ensuring that talented educators are not deterred from pursuing careers in online education.

5. Public Service Alignment: Online teachers contribute to the public good by fostering knowledge, critical thinking, and personal growth among students. Their dedication to educating the next generation aligns with the goals and values of the Federal Loan Forgiveness Program, which seeks to incentivize careers in public service.

I acknowledge that online teachers are not responsible for curriculum development and face fewer behavior management challenges than their counterparts in brick and mortar schools. However, it is important to recognize that this does not diminish the significance of their role. Online teachers play a vital part in adapting educational materials for virtual platforms, creating engaging digital content, facilitating online discussions, and providing personalized support to students in a virtual environment. Their expertise in leveraging technology and delivering effective online instruction is invaluable, and their contributions deserve to be acknowledged within the Federal Loan Forgiveness Program.

Moreover, considering the financial implications of student loan debt, it is worth noting that many private companies involved in online education have been thriving during the pandemic and generating substantial profits. These companies have the potential to support loan repayment initiatives for their online teachers, given the financial resources they have at their disposal. By partnering with private entities and urging their involvement in alleviating the burden of student loan debt, we can create a mutually beneficial arrangement that benefits both online teachers and the companies that have benefited from the surge in demand for online education.

Considering these reasons, I kindly request your careful consideration of including full-time online teachers in the approved public servant category for the Federal Loan Forgiveness Program. By extending loan forgiveness eligibility to these educators, we not only recognize their invaluable contributions but also promote the advancement of online education as a crucial pillar of our educational system.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you require any additional information or if there is any way I can further support this cause.

Yours sincerely,

Cheryl L. Ray

Meet DAMMIT CHERYL, the rock that perfectly captures my exasperation. It reflects the moment I discovered that despite completing 165 out of the required 120 on time loan payments for Obama's Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (which I initiated back in 2008), my years of teaching online are not considered public service so I am ineligible for the much-needed relief.

I’ll have to find another rock to show how I feel after I ask them to reconsider.

Detective Ray's Agency: The Case of the Displaced Dachshund

This past week I was head of the pack. Hunter, Tank and I spent a full week at Kevin and Sarah’s since they both needed to be out of town and their baby Birdy needed her grandma. As always, the sleeping arrangement was a challenge with the extra Dachshund. Hunter and Tank have been accustomed to cuddling up to me for oh…the past 15 years so we hardly think about our bedtime protocol anymore. They are old and set in their ways. They are spoiled. So am I. Birdy, on the other hand, is being encouraged to sleep in the kennel next to her parents and I agreed to work on that with her.

Of course I mustn’t be too stern, this is my only grandpup. So our first night together, I snuggle into bed about 9 pm with three dogs and an unspoken agreement that Birdy can stay as long as she was content in one place so we can all sleep soundly. We all fall immediately into a deep pack animal sleep.

Maybe an hour passes before I feel Birdy climbing over me so I swiftly dispatch her to the kennel.
At first, silence, but before long there's a pathetic little whimper from inside the steel bars. But I won't be weak and sternly say "No! Go to sleep Birdy."
The whimper continues, and finally I put the blanket over the kennel and achieve silence from within. Fast forward a few hours into a satisfying sleep, I feel a canine form, it's especially silky coated, sweet smelling...hmm it's a long and lithe daschund scooting up from my feet to my armpit . It snuggles right up under my chin as if to say "I love you" like no other than......Birdy! She settles right back to sleep there.

I'm deep into sleep so I just think "Well she escaped the kennel. She can stay if she remains cozy like this.” And she did.

Morning comes. 3:30am anyway. My tuned in 'mom ears' hear the sound of Hunter needing his early morning wee.
I respond like a pro, throwing off my CPAP gear and reaching for the geriatric daschund I love so much...but where is he? Birdy's in my armpit, Tank next to her...the rest of the bed feels empty. I had visions of Hunter having fallen off the bed, lying helplessly on the floor making his obsessive morning licking sounds...but wait. The slurpslurpgruntslurp sounds he makes are coming from....the kennel! Poor Hunter !

I put the wrong dog in the kennel and he hasn’t looked at me the same ever since.

Hunter’s look of utter betrayal haunted me for the rest of the day.

True Love

Every once in a while, In my mind, I roll over and touch a good memory of you just to make sure it’s still there. I gently probe around our tragedy, just to make sure of its honesty. And satisfied, I roll back over to now and feel grateful for the experiments in this life, which is all any of us can claim to be.