Yes, debt is a choice. And that applies to all SES. The real question is: is it a wise choice, well-considered? Or some knee-jerk “everyone needs an education” thinking, along with the magical idea that, “I will come out with a fab job to pay that debt?” And that answer depends on circumstances. And on the individual.
When we usually speak of crushing college debt, we don’t really mean “our” debt. We mean the kids who dropped out, or who never really developed the oomph and drive to pursue a competitive career at a competitive salary. There are some CC parents who’ve spoken of the years it took them to pay back their own loans, but really mostly we mean kids for whom the debt has no parallel advantages.