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Prosecutor sorry for ‘crack hoes’ Facebook post

By WTOP Staff

KYLE HIGHTOWER
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida prosecutor apologized Thursday for social media posts that included him referring to drug addicts as “crack hoes” and suggesting that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s appointment was due to affirmative action.

Kenneth Lewis, an assistant state attorney for Orange and Osceola County, said that he “used a poor choice of words” and apologized to anyone who took offense to his Facebook comments earlier this month.

Lewis said he thought that his posts from May 11 and May 6 were only to his friends network on the social website, and not visible to the general public. He said he doesn’t believe his comments affect his ability to be an impartial prosecutor.

Lewis also touted his perfect record trying homicide cases as proof of his commitment to his job.

“I have always been 100 percent fair and I challenge any of you to talk to any attorneys that I’ve tried cases against, to talk to any of the judges I’ve appeared before, and to talk to any of the victims and the victims’ families that I’ve worked for in upholding justice,” he said. “My record speaks for itself.”

Lewis acknowledged writing a Facebook post on May 11 that said: “Happy Mother’s Day to all the crack hoes out there. It’ never too late to turn it around, tie your tubes, clean up your life and make difference to someone out there that deserves a better mother.”

He also apologized for a May 6 post that accompanied a picture of Sotomayor, saying: “Reason enough why no country should ever engage in the practice of Affirmative Action again. This could be the result. Where would she be if she didn’t hit the quota lottery? Here’s a hint: ‘Would you like to supersize that sir?'”

Affirmative action is a practice aimed at improving employment opportunities for people of genders or races that have faced discrimination in the past.

Both posts remain active on Lewis’ Facebook page.

Lewis’ boss, Ninth Circuit State Attorney Jeff Ashton, said while he thinks Lewis’ choice of words was “offensive and dehumanizing,” he didn’t reprimand Lewis for his comments because his office did not have a social media policy banning them.

He also said that he doesn’t “police the private thoughts, views or expressions” of his employees.

“We’ve been researching for the last couple of months social media policies, and we really have some questions about the constitutionality of them, and there have been a number of court decisions that have questioned that,” Ashton said.

“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, but it has to be clear those opinions are not the opinions of the state attorney’s office or myself.”

Ashton said there will be an examination of Lewis’ prosecution file by his supervisor “just to make sure absolutely nothing about Mr. Lewis’ work life has been affected by his personal views.”

Ashton said that no victims have complained to his office that they have been unfairly treated by Lewis because of their social status.

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Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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