"People who have paid their student loan debt are in exactly the same situation they were after this forgiveness than they were before"
Not:
"People who have paid their student loan debt are in exactly the same situation as those whose loans were forgiven"
You may have a valid point about why it's bad that the two people are in different situations (if you elaborate), but the parent did not say that the two people are in the same situation.
"People who have paid their student loan debt are in exactly the same situation they were after this forgiveness than they were before"
Not:
"People who have paid their student loan debt are in exactly the same situation as those whose loans were forgiven"
You may have a valid point about why it's bad that the two people are in different situations (if you elaborate), but the parent did not say that the two people are in the same situation.