Clean Slate Policies Can Help Break Down Barriers to Education

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, click the button below.