Chicago CRED founder and Penn Foster Chief Learning Officer discuss the positive impact of education on violence in recent op-ed
August 22, 2025
In Chicago neighborhoods plagued by gun violence, educational disconnection is a powerful predictor of youth involvement in crime. Many young people are forced out of school by trauma, instability, and lack of support, not by choice. In a recent article, Penn Foster Group Chief Learning Officer, Dr. Andy Shean, argues that flexible, trauma-informed education—especially online learning paired with mentorship and workforce training—can be a transformative tool for violence prevention. Programs like Chicago CRED and Penn Foster demonstrate that when education meets students where they are, it can reduce violence and create pathways to stability and opportunity.