Clean Slate Policies Can Help Break Down Barriers to Education
Guest Blog Post by Stanley Andrisse, Executive Director of From Prison Cells to PhD, Scientist, and author of From Prison Cells to PhD: It Is Never Too Late To Do Good
It's time to talk about education — specifically, barriers to education for the millions of adults in America who are living with a record.
As new semesters go into full swing at post-secondary institutions across the country, students are filing into classrooms ready to soak in an education that will help them find a good job, build a solid career, take care of themselves and their future families, and contribute to their communities. Education is the foundation of a successful life for many people. But when you have a record, the education you need to build a better life for yourself isn’t always accessible. 72% of colleges and universities use background checks to screen applicants’ records.
I know first-hand what it’s like to experience education barriers as a result of my record.
I was sent to prison for drug-related charges in my early 20s. The judge labeled me a ‘career criminal’ and sentenced me to 10 years in a maximum-security state prison.
While I was incarcerated, my father became ill and eventually passed away from complications associated with type 2 diabetes. I was heartbroken by his passing, but eventually, I became motivated, too. I was determined to learn more about the disease that took my father’s life, and that motivation reignited my desire to pursue higher education.
Near the end of my incarceration, I applied to six graduate programs to pursue biomedical studies in the field of endocrinology. On every application, I was faced with having to answer the question: “Do you have a criminal conviction?” I answered honestly. Ultimately, I was rejected from every program except for one. I ended up being accepted into the biomedical program at Saint Louis University (SLU) and graduated near the top of my class, which suggests that I was probably well-qualified for those other programs, too. But they didn’t give me a chance to find out.
I firmly believe the only reason I was accepted into the SLU program was because I’d left a good impression on a previous college professor who saw my potential, despite my past mistakes. That professor had connections in the admission committee at SLU and without his support, I may not have ever gotten a second chance at pursuing my dreams.
For the prospective college students who have a record, college doors are often closed before they can even step foot on campus — but it doesn’t have to be this way. Clean Slate policies can help people truly move beyond their past mistakes and toward a life that holds open doors for education, employment, and more.
To learn more about Clean Slate policies, and get involved with a Clean Slate campaign in your state, visit cleanslateinitiative.org/states.