Introduction to Juan Hernández’s Story
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Juan Hernández was a teenager when he was sentenced to prison. He was 32 years old when he finally completed his secondary education.
The almost two decades that passed tell a story of bureaucratic barriers, arbitrary rules and the refusal of a man to surrender in his struggle to achieve his education.
The Struggle for Education in Prison
It is not unusual for people held in the Illinois (IDOC) corrections department to wait for years to access programs, such as GED or university classes. This is especially true for those who serve long sentences for serious crimes, since the State gives priority to the registration of people who will be released from prison before.
Hernández was sentenced to 45 years being a teenager.
But what makes Hernández’s story unique is the documentary trail he maintained during his fight: the letters he wrote to prison officials requesting access to education and the answers he received. The documents that a friend published on Instagram offers a peculiar look of the process often unclear of the waiting lists for prison education that prevent thousands of imprisoned people from accessing education inside.
The Fight for Access to Education
Hernández fought for years with the bureaucracy of the state prison system to try to obtain their equivalent secondary studies.
"I realized that education could be a way to follow when the administration was firm in keeping it away from me," Hernández wrote to Wbez from the Dixon Correctional Center, where he is currently being held. In a prison, Juan wrote that he was assigned to a cell home with 1,000 more men, all of whom were excluded from education simply by the place where they lived.
Overcoming Obstacles
The officials called on the policy of allowing certain units to access classes "an administrative decision" without giving more explanations. When he filed a formal complaint as a prisoner before IDOC – known as "Grievance" in English – a prison officer considered that his complaint was "irrelevant."
When letters and complaints did not access education, Hernández climbed with a hunger strike – one of the drastic steps that some imprisoned people take when other ways are exhausted. This ended with prison staff trying to feed him by force, he wrote.
Finally, he was transferred to another prison, where the educational administrator told him that his qualifications in the exams helped his case, but not his release date.
The administrator also warned him: "Don’t go to Seg!" –Angatura of administrative segregation, also known as “the hole”, which is similar to lonely confinement used as punishment for prison people who have problems. Months later, Hernández could finally register in Ged classes and, faithful to a promise he made in one of his letters, approved the exam in his first attempt.
Aftermath and Current Status
Seven years have passed since then. Hernández still expects to enter the university.
In a statement, an IDOC spokeswoman said that the increase in educational personnel since 2018 has allowed more prison people to complete the GED program and that waiting times have "significantly decreased." The average waiting time to enter GED classes is less than three months, he said.
Listen to the complete story above, where Hernández tells his story with his own words, read by actor Jomar López del Mud Theater Project, who was held next to him. You can also see more Hernández art on its website.
Hernández’s Story, in His Own Words
Charlotte West is a reporter who covers the intersection between higher education and criminal justice for Open Campus, a non -profit medium focused on higher education. Subscribe to your newsletter, College Inside.
Translated with an artificial intelligence tool (AI) and edited by the Chicago voice
Conclusion
Juan Hernández’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of access to education, even in the most challenging circumstances. Despite the numerous obstacles he faced, Hernández was able to achieve his goal of obtaining a GED, and his story serves as an inspiration to others who may be facing similar struggles.
FAQs
- Q: How long did it take Juan Hernández to get his GED?
A: It took Juan Hernández 18 years to get his GED. - Q: What obstacles did Hernández face in his pursuit of education?
A: Hernández faced bureaucratic barriers, arbitrary rules, and the refusal of prison officials to provide access to education. - Q: What was the outcome of Hernández’s hunger strike?
A: The hunger strike ended with prison staff trying to feed him by force. - Q: Is Hernández currently enrolled in university classes?
A: No, Hernández still expects to enter the university, seven years after completing his GED. - Q: What has been the response of the IDOC to the issue of access to education for prisoners?
A: The IDOC has stated that the increase in educational personnel since 2018 has allowed more prisoners to complete the GED program, and that waiting times have significantly decreased.
