Every year since 2006, I hold Prisoner Lewis (an older gentleman approaching fifty) back, while everyone leaves the classroom. I ask him, “Is this going to be the year?” He diverts his eyes, looks at the floor or his feet. He knows exactly what I’m talking about. Three years straight (2006, 2007, 2008) he has put very little effort into learning the required material. He could no more pass a GED Exam then walk out that front door a free man. But this isn’t about him. He doesn’t have that pent-up anger some of the younger inmates have.
This should come as no surprise: I worked over the holidays. During that short interval between Christmas and the New Year a youngster told me he would turn it around; he would behave in the classroom and study regularly. We mapped out a plan. He signed the required quarterly work evaluation. He even asked if he could take a Science book back to his cell to study during “down” time.
I was a bit hesitant, yet agreed.
At his very next class session he arrived late, went to the bathroom five or six times, and basically did nothing for the remainder of class. In fact, at one point, I found him sleeping behind a bookshelf. He had torn the covers off a textbook so he could have himself a soft pillow.
I stood over him, stared at a tattoo of a cross on his right bicep, read the words “God’s Son,” then I made him get up. “Where’s the book I gave you?”
“It’s back at my cell,” he answered.
I told him to bring it to class the next day.
“I’m going to throw it in the trash when I get back.”
I could go on and on with his antics, his insolent words, his refusing to give me his ID card, but I won’t. Why should I? Instead, let me give you the brief history of this eighteen-year old man-child:
1) On May 27, 2006, he killed someone.
2) On June 11, 2007, he was sentenced for 2nd Degree Murder.
3) His ERD (Earliest Release Date) is January 23, 2022.
4) His Maximum Discharge Date is July 23, 2078.
Need I say more? How about Happy New Year!
9 comments:
That's got to suck at least a little wind out of you. Even in my position, it does when I put in more work than the student and get nothing but rude as a result.
I've kinda run out of things to say regarding these situations... I sit here shaking my head admiring your patience and thinking that I'm glad it's not me. You're a better man, Jim. ;-)
I agree, how do teachers deal with it. They have so many students who do NOT want to learn but feel life should be handed to them on a silver platter.
Maybe it's worth it when you have that one student who flourishes and does well and becomes an outstanding person.
I don't know!!! So, all of you teachers let me know.
Well, JR, I guess a cattle prod is out of the question, right? Just asking is all.
Wasn't it Jimmy Cagney who said in one of his gangster flicks; "I got all the time in the world ma!"
2078...
Good God, Jim, this is bleak even by my standards! I love your stories, that clear-eyed view of things. Thanks for your well wishes during my illness -- feeling much better now and hanging in there!
That was sad. It is sad that he killed someone. It is sad he doesn't care.
In my visits to the local jail as Pastor I met a few like him. It was sad.
It's hard to care if they don't care. You can lead an inmate to a book, but you can't make 'em learn. Keep fightin' the good fight.
How terribly disappointing... <:(
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