In a recent staff meeting we discussed concentrating our efforts on teaching the short-timers, those darling inmates that have a chance of parole. Sure sounds like a winning strategy, doesn't it? Well, you’re probably not going to believe my reaction, and that’s fine, but this is what I said, "Give me the lifers. I’ll take them, I’ll teach them."
Back in 1992, when I first started with the Michigan Department of Corrections, my outlook was much different. Why should I, or anyone else for that matter, waste time teaching someone that would one day be carried out in a pine-box (figuratively speaking)—and handcuffed too, because no one really truly dies in prison; there’s legal issues involved and there’s a chance they’re faking their own death and trying to escape.
In the early 90’s I remember a young man (actually I thought of him as a naïve, immature kid) that entered my classroom with a nasty temperament and a bad attitude. We had a policy back then that any inmate without a high school diploma must go to school. This kid explained to me that he was "doing all day," and why should he care about attending class? We battled often. I’d write major misconduct tickets as a temporary fix—hell, if he couldn’t come out of his cell then my workday would run much smoother. Also, I wouldn't be held liable if he hurt another inmate on my watch, especially the precious short-timers. Unfortunately, he’d come back angrier than before, claiming that I was a racists, that I couldn’t break him. This went on for well over a year.
One day he approached me as determined as ever. "Listen," he said, "My mother’s dying and I want to make her proud."
He earned his GED in a very short time afterward. At the GED ceremony, dressed in cap and gown, this young man introduced me to his mother. You could tell she was dying, but at that very moment, she was happy to see her son do something positive. His name is Darryl Woods and the attached article from Thursday’s Detroit Free Press proves my point: "I’ll teach the lifers."
10 comments:
Good stuff. Your work stories are much differnt from any work stories I've ever heard before. I really enjoy reading them. When's the book coming out.
Cheers!!!
Lee
Jim,
Excellent! Makes sense to me, taking the lifers. Is there a decent prison library to draw from? And yeah, about this book. . . . Kudos!
Cheers, Erik
Another good post. It's sad but true. Adding the MPRI has not helped either with all the exemptions (which is not supposed to keep them from coming to school once exempted)but you see how that's being played out. Atleast you were there for him when he decided he had to get his GED. Some make the connection and some you just won't reach.I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. That's why the officers come right out and tell them "you will be back." Sometimes even giving them a time that they will return by. I agree with the other comments and encourage you to write the book.MW
Hey Erik,
Perhaps you'd like to become a Librarian for the Department of Corrections. You'd get an updated set of law books for the inmates to look at. It's interesting too, how an inmate reading at the 3rd grade level will tell me he's too busy for school because he's working on his case. As far as the book, well ... been concentrating my efforts on the short story form and this here blog (template's back). I do get plenty of character sketches from work though.
--Jim
Yes, lifers need to find value while inside ... this is the life they've chosen, what accomplishments they'll make are inside. I found out not too long ago that the TA I have who works on the inmate newsletter is a lifer. It's no wonder that he takes his job so seriously, almost to a point of obsession. I supervise him, but really I let him have at it, he's not taken my suggestions at times, and I've decided that it is way more important to him than to me, so I let it go ... as long as what is written is appropriate of course. Sometimes I like to remind him that I'm still in charge ... and I go through it and make subtle changes ... he is an inmate ... someone who has and could cause harm.
Oh yes, sign me up! Seriously, good luck to y'all -- seems pretty thankless. Good thing you're writers. Cheers' E'
Guess you can never really judge the impact you have on those you teach. Some of the toughest ones may be the most sensitive underneath, on a much deeper level, of course, than they may even allow themselves to recognize. Your stories are real, Jim, and very interesting to read.
kudos!
Here are some links that I believe will be interested
Greets to the webmaster of this wonderful site. Keep working. Thank you.
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