RATS!!!

Approximately two months ago Prisoner Vander, a first hour GED student, requested a “Release of Educational Records” form. “My Bunkie’s been helping me with my reading assignments,” he claimed, before explaining that the school office warned his cellmate of the inevitable: produce a high school diploma or go to school.

Unsure of what to do, besides claiming his high school graduate status and helping my student with his fractions, I’m afraid this prisoner chose a stalling tactic. (It’s our policy to use universal precautions and assume everyone’s a liar.)

“My bunkie filled out that form and sent it off,” Prisoner Vander said, “but he hasn’t been notified regarding the verification of his diploma.”

I asked him whether his bunkie was subsequently enrolled in school and he said, “No.” I figured that the diploma must’ve been verified and a copy of his transcripts shoved into a school office file.

“If the principal hasn’t contacted him,” I said, “then everything is copacetic.”

“Could you check?” the student asked. By now I was getting a little perturbed.

The next day I told him, “Your bunkie must have an overdue library book because his Ecorse High School transcript indicates that he did not have the necessary credits to graduate.”

Perhaps both inmates are delusional. I’m wondering just how much help my student is getting from this guy. Probably not much. I guess it’s time to rat him out.