Criminals are now able to get a higher education without being restricted. This week, the Obama administration announced that 61 colleges and universities have agreed to offer criminals a fair chance at an education by signing the Fair Chance for Higher Education pledge. U.S. Secretary of Education John King expressed that people deserve a second change, even a second opportunity at getting an education. “When people make mistakes, we have to focus on how we give them a meaningful second chance. Think of a student who, as a teenager, may have been convicted of a minor nonviolent drug offense. Now, 20 years later, it doesn’t make sense to prevent this student from getting their education.” The pledge commits the schools to adjust their admissions policies and to not rule out people based on their criminal record. Also, the colleges and universities are charged with making job training and internship opportunities available. So far, there are 86 schools that have signed on. Twenty-five of them made the pledge at the start of the summer. Read more… Photo credit: U.S. Dept of Education
