ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS"
WAS PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS
OF THE BETTER ANGELS SOCIETY.
JOHN AND CATHERINE DEBS,
THE SCHWARTZ/REISMAN FOUNDATION,
THE COUSINS FOUNDATION,
THE ABRAMS FOUNDATION,
TED DINTERSMITH AND ELIZABETH HAZARD,
THE McCLOSKEY FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST.
FUNDING WAS ALSO PROVIDED BY:
THE FORD FOUNDATION JUSTFILMS
AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENTFOR THE HUMANITIES;
BY MEG AND TOMAS BERGSTRAND; REGINA K. SCULLY;
THE LISE STRICKLER AND MARK GALLOGLY
CHARITABLE FUND;
PATTY QUILLIN;
AND BY THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDERS.
AND BY GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION
FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.
AT BANK OF AMERICA, WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER
TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROUDTO SPONSOR "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS"
FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER KEN BURNS
AND DIRECTOR LYNN NOVICK,
HIGHLIGHTING THE TRUE POWER OF EDUCATION.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE POWER TO DO?
[THUNDER]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
[METAL DOORS SHUTTING]
[THUNDER]
MAN: I'VE BEEN INCARCERATED FOR 13 YEARS,
AND FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I CAN TELL YOU
PRISON IS HERE TO PUNISH US.
UM, IT'S HERE TO WAREHOUSE US,
BUT IT'S NOTABOUT, UM, REHABILITATING.
IT'S NOT ABOUT CREATING PRODUCTIVE BEINGS.
IT JUST ISN'T.
[THUNDER]
♪
[THUNDER]
[RAIN FALLING]
♪
[RADIO CHIRPS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
MAN: "CALL ME ISHMAEL.
"SOME YEARS AGO--NEVER MINDHOW LONG PRECISELY--
"HAVING LITTLE OR NO MONEY IN MY PURSE,
"AND NOTHING IN PARTICULARTO INTEREST ME ON THE SHORE,
"I THOUGHT I WOULD SAIL ABOUT A LITTLE
AND SEE THE WATERY PART OF THE WORLD."
DIFFERENT MAN: I'M TAKING "MOBY-DICK."
THAT'S A REALLY INTERESTING CLASS.
THE WHOLE FIRST PARAGRAPH WE HAD TO MEMORIZE,
AND EACH ONE OF US HAD TO RECITE
IN FRONT OF THE REST OF THE CLASS.
YOU WOULD SEE ANOTHER GUY IN THE CLASS IN THE YARD,
AND WE WOULD BE LIKE, "HEY, CALL ME ISHMAEL,"
AND HE WOULD GO THROUGH IT,AND I WOULD GO THROUGH IT,
AND WE'D POINT OUT WHERE WE DIDN'T MATCH.
DIFFERENT MAN: "I THOUGHT IWOULD SAIL ABOUT A LITTLE
"AND SEE THE WATERY PART OF THE WORLD
"IS A WAY I HAVE REGULATING THE S-SPLEEN
AND DRYING--AND, UH-- UH...REGULATING THE--"
DIFFERENT MAN: "IT IS A WAY I HAVE OF DRIVING
OFF THE SPLEEN AND REGULATING THE CIRCULATION."
DIFFERENT MAN: "WHENEVERI FIND MYSELF GROWING GRIM
"ABOUT THE MOUTH; WHENEVER IT IS
"A DAMP, DRIZZLY NOVEMBER IN MY SOUL;
"WHENEVER I FIND MYSELF INVOLUNTARILY PAUSING
"BEFORE COFFIN WAREHOUSES,AND BRINGING UP THE REAR
"OF EVERY FUNERAL I MEET;
"AND ESPECIALLY WHENEVER MY HYPOS GET SUCH
"AN UPPER HAND OF ME, THAT IT REQUIRES
"A STRONG MORAL PRINCIPLE TO PREVENT ME
"FROM DELIBERATELY STEPPINGOUT INTO THE STREETS
"AND METHODICALLY KNOCKING PEOPLE'S HATS
"OFF THEIR HEADS, THEN, I ACCOUNT IT HIGH TIME
TO GET TO SEA AS SOON AS I CAN."
PROFESSOR: I REALLY FEEL THAT.
[APPLAUSE]
[RADIO CHATTER]
♪
MAN ON P.A.: ATTENTION, ALL INMATES.
LINE UP ON THE WHITE LINE FOR THE COUNT.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
MAN: WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER THAT THE CRISIS
THAT THE UNITED STATES WAS IN IN THE EARLY 1930s
WAS A GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS,
AND THAT CRISIS LED TO THE RISE
OF ALL KINDSOF ANTI-DEMOCRATIC REGIMES
ALL OVER THE WORLD,
AND WHAT ROOSEVELT'S CONCERNED ABOUT
IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN
IN THE UNITED STATES.
DIFFERENT MAN: WE ARE NOTA PART OF THE PRISON SYSTEM.
WE ARE A COLLEGE WHO HAPPENS TO HAVE CLASSES
INSIDE OF PRISON.
UNLIKE OTHER SCHOOLS, IT HAS BARS,
IT HAS GATES THAT CLOSE AND OPEN,
IT HAS DOORS THAT MUST BE LOCKED.
ALTHOUGH WE SAY, "SCHOOL BUILDING,"
IT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL BUILDING,
ALTHOUGH WHAT WE DOINSIDE THE SCHOOL BUILDING
IS TRADITIONAL COLLEGE WORK.
MAN: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'SALWAYS BEEN MOST IMPORTANT
TO US IS THE INSTITUTION'SADAMANCE THAT THESE STUDENTS,
THE INCARCERATED STUDENTS,
ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER,
AND IN MANY WAYS, BPI IS SIMPLY
A VERY SIMPLE KIND OF EXPERIMENT,
WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PROVIDE
THE KINDS OF EDUCATION THAT TYPICALLY
IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ONLY AFFORDED
TO THE CHILDREN OF THE LUCKY
OR THE ENTITLED OR THE RICH TO OTHERS?
♪
MAN: I DO NOT GET RID OF ANY DRAFT,
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT OF REWRITES.
I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
IF I'M IN THIS CELL, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT,
I'M EITHER READING, WRITING, OR SLEEPING.
THIS IS--THIS IS A CELL.
THIS IS NOT A PLACE THAT I LIVE IN.
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S NO PICTURES
OR POSTERS ON THE WALL AT ALL.
I KEEP THIS BARE.
I DON'T FORGET THAT THIS IS PRISON,
EVEN WHEN I'M WORKING BECAUSE
AT SOME POINT, AN OFFICER ISGONNA WALK PASS THIS CELL.
I'M GONNA HEAR THE KEYS JANGLING ON HIS BELT,
AND HE MIGHT STOP BY THAT CELL AND LOOK
THROUGH THAT WINDOW THERE,
AND SO I DON'T FORGET, YOU NEVER FORGET.
MAN: I DO MOST OF MY WORKAT NIGHT BECAUSE IT'S A DORM,
IT'S AN OPEN SPACE.
THERE'RE A LOTOF DISTRACTIONS, YOU KNOW,
GUYS WALKING AROUND, TALKING LOUDLY.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO FOCUS ON SCHOOLWORK.
SO I MAY START A LOT OF MY WORK MAYBE
AT 11:00 AT NIGHT AND GO TO BED
2:00, 3:00 IN THE MORNING.
I TRY TO BE AS ORGANIZED AS I CAN BE
IN SUCH A SMALL SPACE, SO I UTILIZE, LIKE,
LITTLE FOLDERS AND THINGS,
MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS,PAPERS FOR EVERY SEMESTER,
FOR EVERY CLASS FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS.
I CAME IN WHEN I WAS 16.
I GOT MY GED ON RIKERS ISLAND IN 2005.
A FRIEND OF MINE FORCED ME TO THE PROGRAM,
WHICH PROBABLY THE KINDEST,MOST LOVING THING ANYONE
HAS EVER DONE FOR ME WAS FORCE ME
TO APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM.
MAN: IT'S ALL TEXTBOOKS-- MATH, SCIENCE,
AND THEN OF COURSE SPANISHIS INVADING MY LIFE,
SO THAT'S MY--FOR THE NEXT 2 1/2 YEARS,
IT WILL BE SPANISH, BIOLOGY, MATH.
I KEEP MY CELL VERY SPARTAN AND SCHOOL-ORIENTED
AS A BUFFER AGAINST PRISON LIFE.
PRISON CAN GET INSIDE OF YOU.
IT'S INVASIVE, AND I TRY TO KEEP IT OUT,
AND SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE MEANS
THAT I KEEP IT OUT.
[RADIO CHATTER]
HALL: I MAJORED IN GERMAN STUDIES.
THE LANGUAGE WAS SO HARD.
HOWEVER, NOW I LOVE TO READ
ABOUT AMERICAN NEWS IN GERMAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLYATTRACTED ME ABOUT GERMANY
WAS ITS HISTORICAL MISTAKEAND THEN THE MANNER
IN WHICH IT TRIED TO REALLYMAKE UP FOR THAT MISTAKE.
♪
THIS IS MY CELL.
THIS IS WHERE I REST MY HEAD,
GET MY THOUGHTS TOGETHER, DO MY SCHOOLWORK.
YOU HAVE MY SINK, MY WINDOW.
YOU SEE I DON'T HAVE MUCHOF A VIEW OF MUCH OUT THERE,
BUT IT'S ALL RIGHT.
I DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING
A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT WHEN I GET OUT...
BUT, UH, FOR NOW, I GOT TO MAKE THE MOST
OF WHAT I HAVE, YOU KNOW?
[KEYS JANGLING]
♪
KENNER: THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS
WILL BE SENT BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES
TYPICALLY FROM WHICH THEY CAME
AND WILL ENGAGE WITH THEIR FAMILIES
AND THOSE COMMUNITIES, AND THEY WILL BE BETTER
AT THAT WHEN THEY'RE EDUCATED IN A WAY
THAT'S MEANINGFUL TO THEM.
PROFESSOR; SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES THAT DO
TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE
THIS FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTWHICH ITSELF IS PREMISED
ON A CONTRADICTION?
YEAH, GIOVANNIE?
HERNANDEZ: NAH. I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS QUOTE
FROM A "SONG OF MYSELF."
"I AM VAST, I CONTAIN MULTITUDES,"
AND I THINK THAT SAYS IT ALL,
WHERE THERE'S THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOTJUST THIS SET PERSONALITY,
THIS SET, UH, BEING.
HIS RELATIONSHIP TO EVERYONE ELSE
AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD
CONSTITUTES THIS ONENESS.
WHAT I DO TODAY MAY AFFECT WHAT SOMEONE
IS CAPABLE OF DOING TOMORROW OR VICE VERSA.
PROFESSOR: YOU KNOW, KEEP TRYING TO BRING THIS
BACK TO WHAT MAKES THESE DOCUMENTS
FOUNDATIONAL TO US AS A NATION
AND WHAT ARE MANIFESTOS.
SO I DIDN'T GET EVERYONE'S MANIFESTOS.
CALLING IT MANIFESTO.IT'S REALLY A DECLARATION.
I HAVE YOURS.
WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
WHEN YOU WROTE YOUR DECLARATIONS?
IT WAS PERSONALFOR ME BECAUSE
MY SISTER SENT MEA LETTER,
AND SHE WROTEIN A WAY THAT NOWADAYS
THE LITTLE TEENSOUT THERE,
THEY USE TEXT MESSAGING,THE FUNNY WORDS,
AND IT BROKE MY HEART.
AFTER I CAME TO COLLEGEAND I LEARNED
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE,YOU KNOW,
I BECAMEA GRAM--GRAMMAR POLICE,
SO I WANTED TOARREST HER.
[LAUGHTER]
SO I WROTE THE DECLARATIONOF INFLECTION FOR HER.
"WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT:
"THAT WORDS ARE OUR GREATEST GIFTS,
"THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED WITH STUPENDOUS POWERS,
"THAT AMONG THESE ARE DOCUMENTATION,
"COMMUNICATION, AND EXPRESSION,
"THAT WHENEVER ANY FORM OF TEXTING BECOMES
"DESTRUCTIVE OF OUR LANGUAGE,
"IT IS A RIGHT OF SAID TECHNOLOGY TO REVISE IT
"AND ENLIGHTEN ITS USER.
"WHEN LUCIDITY IS BEDIMMED BY IMPATIENCE,
"WHICH IN TURN SPAWNS IGNORANCE,
"IT IS OUR RIGHT, IT IS OUR DUTY,
"TO REINVENT TEXTING
"AND TO PROVIDE CORRECT GROUNDS
"FOR OUR MAJESTIC LANGUAGE.
"WE MUTUALLY PLEDGE TO HOLD TWITTER
IN CONTEMPT FOREVER."
PROFESSOR: NICE.
[LAUGHTER]
YOON: FOR A TYPICAL 20-PAGE PAPER,
I'LL HAVE ABOUT 30 OF THESE FRONT AND BACK,
AND THEN MY BUCKET WOULD BE FULL
OF, UH, CRUMPLED PAPERS.
THESE--NUMBER ONE SMILEY FACE MEANS THIS IS
THE FIRST PAGE THAT I CAN TYPE UP.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST CELL I'VE EVER BEEN IN
IN 5 DIFFERENT MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISONS.
THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I CAME TO THIS CELL
WAS I PUT MY HAND LIKE THIS,
AND I WAS AMAZED THAT I COULDN'T TOUCH
THE WALL WITH MY FEET.
I SPEND MOST OF MY TIMELYING DOWN, LOOKING THAT WAY,
WHERE I HAVE MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
MY FAMILY.
I HAVE A PICTUREOF AN ASTRONAUT TO REMIND ME
OF WHO I WANTED TO BE WHEN I WAS YOUNG.
I CAME IN WHEN I WAS 16.
I'M GOING HOME WHEN I'M 29IF ALL THINGS GO WELL.
AS INMATES, WE COULD SPENDOUR TIME JUST TRYING
TO COUNT THE YEARS AND THE DAYS
AND THE MINUTES, OR WE CAN DO SOMETHING
WITH THAT TIME, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
♪
MAN ON P.A.: ATTENTION, ALL INMATES.
LINE UP ON THE WHITE LINE BY THE REC ROOM
FOR THE COUNT.
[BUZZER]
ISRAIL: THERE'SA MISCONCEPTION THAT PEOPLE
IN PRISON JUST HAVE THIS FREE TIME
THAT THEY JUST DO WHATEVER THEY WANT WITH
HOWEVER THEY WANT TO DO IT WITH.
TIME IS MANAGED IN RELATION TO SOMETHING
WE CALL THE COUNT.
IT HAPPENS 5 TIMES A DAY.
YOU GO BACK TO YOUR HOUSING LOCATION,
WHERE YOU LOCK AT, WHETHER IT IS A CELL
OR A DORMITORY.
YOU ARE LOCKED IN,AND YOU ARE GONNA STAND UP,
AND CORRECTIONS OFFICERS,LITERALLY TAKE A HEADCOUNT.
YOU COULD BEINSIDE THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
THERE'S A BELL THAT RINGSOR AN ALARM THAT GOES OFF,
AND IT MEANS "STOP DOING WHATYOU'RE DOING AND GO BACK IN."
KENNER: PART OF BEING INSTITUTIONALIZED IS THAT
YOUR DAY IS CONSTANTLY INTERRUPTED.
THE CHAOS OF THE PRISON ISAN EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE
WHEN IT COMES TO THE KIND OF FOCUS THAT'S NECESSARY
TO GET THROUGH THE ROUTINE OF COLLEGE
ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
[SLAM]
[MEN SHOUTING]
YOON: IT'S HARD TO STUDY WHEN ALL THE INMATES
COME BACK FROM THE PROGRAMS.
AFTER 12:00, IT'S DEAD QUIET.
THAT'S WHEN I CAN REALLY FOCUS.
I'M STUDYING TILL 3:00 IN THE MORNING
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN IT'S MOST QUIET.
MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE NIGHT.
♪
ISRAIL: I WAS INCARCERATED FOR 20 YEARS.
I ENROLLED INTO BPI, I WENT ON TO GET
MY BA DEGREE IN 2009.
ADMISSIONS IS A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
WE OPERATE IN 6 PRISONS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE.
5 OF THEM ARE FOR MEN, 1 OF THEM IS FOR WOMEN.
WHEN ADMISSIONS IS FULLY OPENACROSS ALL 6 FACILITIES,
WE HAVE UP TO 400 PEOPLE APPLYING.
♪
WOMAN: I GO TO THE INTERVIEW.
HE WAS ASKING SOME CRAZY QUESTIONS.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT
HALF THE TIME.
I HAD TO ASK HIM, LIKE, "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?
"WHAT DOES THAT WORD MEAN, LIKE?
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, LIKE?"
THEN COMES FIND OUT I GET THE LETTER.
SLIPPED IT UNDER MY DOOR. SEEN IT.
I WAS LIKE, "OH, I'M IN THERE!"
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GETTING IN, THOUGH.
MAN: I KEPT MAKING THE INTERVIEWS.
EACH TIME, I THOUGHT THAT I DID GOOD,
BUT THIS LAST TIME WASTHE ONE THAT I THOUGHT THAT--
I WAS LIKE, "YEAH. I SCREWED THIS ONE UP,"
BECAUSE I PUT MY HEAD DOWN.
I JUST--I COULDN'T COME UP WITH WORDS TO SAY,
AND FINALLY AT THE END, I TOLD 'EM--I SAID,
"LISTEN. I DON'T KNOW,YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU PEOPLE--
"WHAT YOU WANT ME TO SAY.
"ALL I KNOW IS THAT I NEED TO GET IN HERE, YOU KNOW.
I NEED SOMETHING TO HELP CHANGE MY LIFE."
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WORKED FOR ME.
SPIVEY-JONES: THE NEW GUYSTHAT JUST GOT ACCEPTED
INTO BPI, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANY IDEA
WHAT THEY'RE IN FOR.
NEXT WEEK WHEN THEY START CLASS,
THEY'RE IN FOR A SURPRISE.
KENNER: EVERYBODY'S GOOD?ALL RIGHT. LET'S GET STARTED.
WELCOME TO BARD COLLEGE.
CONGRATULATIONS.
WE'RE GONNA STARTCOURSEWORK MONDAY MORNING,
AND I THINK WE SHOULD JUSTSTART BEING REALLY CLEAR
ABOUT THE SCALE OF THE COMMITMENT,
FIRST OF ALL, THAT WE ARE MAKING TO YOU
AND, SECONDLY, THAT WE EXPECT OF YOU.
THIS IS A FULL-TIME AND LONG-TERM
AND TOTAL COMMITMENT.
WHEN THAT DOOR CLOSES, YOU'RE AT BARD COLLEGE.
FACULTY ARE GOING TO BE EVALUATING WHAT YOU DO
AS A STUDENT EXCLUSIVELY.
THAT IS TO SAY THE COLLEGE HAS NO INTEREST
IN THE NATURE OF YOUR CRIMINAL CONVICTION,
THE LENGTH OF YOUR SENTENCE,
HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE LEFT IN PRISON.
IT'S NOT OUR BUSINESS.
WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION.
THIS IS THE THING WE KNOW HOW TO DO,
AND WE HAPPEN TO DO IT HERE,
AND WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS ROOM TONIGHT,
THERE IS NOW SOMETHING THATCAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU
THAT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENTTHAN WHEN YOU WALKED IN.
♪
MONTGOMERY: I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT I'VE BEEN
THROUGH THE WORST.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE WORST,
AND I THINK MY PEERS HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE WORST,
SO IT'S LIKE YOU COME HERE,
AND THIS IS AT YOUR BOTTOM.
THIS IS MY DESK.
I HAVE MY CARDS,MY BIBLES, CANS, WHATEVER.
I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE I LIKE TO LEARN,
BUT WASN'T, LIKE, REALLY, LIKE,
SOMETHING THAT WAS HAMMERED.
SCHOOL WASN'T NOTHING.
IT WAS JUST LIKEGO TO SCHOOL, KIND OF COOL,
BUT IF YOU FIND A MANWHO GOT A JOB, YOU ALL GOOD.
YOU SET FOR LIFE.
I WAS RAISED TO BE, LIKE,DEPENDENT ON SOMEONE ELSE.
I WAS NEVER REALLY RAISED TO BE INDEPENDENT,
LIKE GET YOUR OWN.
IT WAS NEVER, LIKE, REALLYA VALUE THAT WAS INSTILLED
INSIDE OF ME OR MY SISTERS,
AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY WE TURNED OUT
THE WAY WE TURNED OUT.
♪
PROFESSOR: THE QUESTION WAS
WHAT'S THE MOST SATISFYING WAY
FOR A HUMAN BEING TO LIVE IN THE WORLD
ACCORDING TO HANNAH ARENDT,
MICHAEL CRAWFORD, AND ARISTOTLE, RIGHT?
ANYONE CAN VOLUNTEER.
MONTGOMERY: SO I THINK THAT "AIR-EN-ET"?
LIEBERT: "AR-ENT." HANNAH ARENDT. YEAH.
I BELIEVE THAT ARENDT-- I THINK THAT ARENDT
BELIEVES THAT IF HUMANITY WERE
TO STICK WITH THE 3 ACTIVITIES THEN...
LIEBERT: WHICH 3 ACTIVITIES ARE THOSE?
ACTIVITY, WORK, AND LABOR.
LIEBERT: WORK, LABOR, AND...
NOT IN THE SAME ORDER.
LABOR, WORK, AND ACTION.
IF HUMANITY WAS TO STICK WITH THEM,
THEN LIFE WOULD BE SATISFYING.
AND WHY?
ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU BELIEVE
OR WAS TAUGHT TO BELIEVE,
NONE OF THAT MATTERS.
IT'S LIKE ALL THAT'S BULL...
NOW I WANT YOU TO READ WITH, LIKE, A FRESH SLATE
AND JUST, LIKE, WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS MEANS?
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE AUTHOR WAS TRYING TO SAY?
WHO IS THE AUTHOR?
LIKE, WHERE DID HE COME FROM?
WOMAN: THIS IS LIKE THE BOOT CAMP
WITHOUT THE PHYSICAL TRAINING,
AND IT'S KIND OF HARD BECAUSE THE PROFESSOR
REALLY ISN'T TELLING US
IF IT'S--IF WE'RE RIGHT OR IF WE'RE WRONG.
SHE'S LEAVING IT UP TO US TO FIGURE IT OUT,
SO THAT'S EVEN MORE OF A CHALLENGE
BECAUSE NOW I'M QUESTIONING MY OWN SELF.
♪
WOMAN: LETTERS? YEAH. COMMENTS I HAVE...
WOMAN, VOICE-OVER: I TEACH FIRST YEARS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WHAT I GET TO SEE, WHAT I KNOW
WHEN THEY WALK IN THERE AND THEY ARE DOING
THEIR BEST TO BE BRAVE-- HA HA--
IN THE FACE OF PROBABLY SOMEOF THE HARDEST MATERIAL
THEY'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED.
MENGERT: ALL RIGHT. SO TODAY,WE ARE GOING TO START CLASS
BY TALKING ABOUT HOW TO ORGANIZE A PARAGRAPH.
I'VE NOW HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOME OF YOUR WRITING
THIS SEMESTER, AND WHAT I AM NOTICING
IS SOME FANTASTIC IDEAS BUT NOT A LOT
OF COHESION IN YOUR PARAGRAPHS,
SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUTWHAT CONSTITUTES A PARAGRAPH.
SO A PARAGRAPH SHOULD BE FIRST UNIFIED.
A PARAGRAPH SHOULD BE COHERENT.
IT SHOULD BE WELL-DEVELOPED.
MAN: WHEN IS THERE TOO MANY SENTENCES?
OR TOO LESS? OR TOO LESS?
MENGERT: OR TOO FEW.
GAERTNER: A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT I WAS READING
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS.
YOU KNOW, IT WOULD TAKE ME2, 3 HOURS JUST TO GET
PAST 2 PAGES BECAUSEI WOULD KEEP HAVING TO STOP
AND GO OVER AND LOOK IN THE DICTIONARY,
FIND OUT WHAT THIS WORD IS AND GO OVER THE PARAGRAPH
OVER AND OVER AND OVER, TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
MENGERT: WHAT CHANGES,LET'S SAY, AROUND CHAPTER 12?
GAERTNER: A LOT MORE PEOPLE.
A LOT MORE PEOPLE!
WHEN HE GOES INTO THE PHARAOH,
THAT'S WHEN I STARTED THINKING ABOUT IT.
I SAID--I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT IT INTO WORDS--
I KNOW THAT WHEN I SEEN THE PHARAOH,
I KNOW SOMETHING CLICKED IN MY HEAD,
AND THAT'S WHAT MADE ME START THINKING
ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT--
HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE.
OK. THE WORLD THAT WE'RE INHABITING
SUDDENLY HAS EXPANDED A GREAT DEAL.
[BELL RINGING]
OK.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
GAERTNER: MY LIFE IS DIFFERENT NOW
BECAUSE MY WHOLE PROGRAM CHANGED.
YOU KNOW, I WAS USED TO WORKING
IN INDUSTRY ALL DAY LONG.
WE MAKE ALL THE HIGHWAY SIGNS AND THE STOP SIGNS.
WE DON'T DO THE LICENSE PLATES.
EVERYBODY ALWAYS THINKSPRISON MAKE LICENSE PLATES.
YOU JUST SIT THERE AND DO,LIKE, ROBOTIC WORK.
YOU KNOW, A MEANINGLESS JOB.
ISRAIL: SOMEONE WHO IS NOT INBPI MAY HAVE A MESS HALL JOB.
MAN ON RADIO: 30 TO 5-5.MESS HALL WORKERS ARE OUT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MESS HALL JOB,
YOU COULD HAVE A PORTER JOB,
WHICH IS BASICALLY YOU SWEEP FLOORS ALL DAY.
SPIVEY-JONES: WHEN YOU HAVE AN ABSENCE
OF ANY PROGRAMS IN PRISON THAT FACILITATE
ANY KIND OF GROWTH, INDIVIDUALS ARE...
BECOMING PERHAPS DISILLUSIONED
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING PREPARED
FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY
BEEN DOING, WHICH IS CRIME.
HALL: WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO BPI,
I WAS MORE LIABLE TO HANG OUTIN THE YARD OR DAY ROOM
AND WATCH TV BECAUSE THERE WASN'T NOTHING
BETTER TO DO,
AND THERE'S THE EVER PRESENT VIOLENCE
AND, YOU KNOW, DRUGS.
MAN: PRISON IS A PLACEWHERE YOU COULD LOSE HOPE.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT YOU HAVETO NEGOTIATE IN PRISON
MENTALLY THAT GOES JUST
ABOVE YOUR PHYSICAL CONFINEMENT.
I SAW GUYS AROUND ME INSIDEWHO WERE DISCONNECTED
FROM EVERYONE ELSE,INDIVIDUALS WHO DIDN'T BATHE,
WHO DIDN'T CLEAN THEIR LIVING SPACE.
THEY WALKED TO THE MESS HALL, AND THEY ATE,
AND THEY WALKED BACK TO THEIR CELLS.
THEY SURVIVED, BUT THEY REALLY WEREN'T LIVING.
MAN: PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDEDON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
WHAT'S INVOLVED ONCE YOUCOMPLETELY LOSE YOUR LIBERTY.
IT IS PUNISHMENT ENOUGH JUST TO BE INCARCERATED.
MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS PREVENTING SUICIDES,
NOT PREVENTING HOMICIDES.
TATRO: SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW,THEY DON'T SURVIVE THIS.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE SEEN PRISON DESTROY PEOPLE.
MAYBE A MONTH AGO, THEY SHUT THE PRISON DOWN
FOR ABOUT A DAY AND A HALF.
A KID NAMED KYLE-- HE'S A FRIEND OF MINE--
HE ATTEMPTED TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
IT WAS KIND OFA HORRIFIC SUICIDE ATTEMPT.
EVERY TIME I'D SEE HIM, HE'S, "DYJUAN WHAT
"ARE YOU WORKING ON?
CAN YOU GET ME A BOOK TO READ?"
YOU KNOW, "I FINISHED 'CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.'
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER CLASSIC?"
AND THEN HE TRIES TO COMMIT SUICIDE,
AND IT REMINDS YOU HOW LONELY PRISON CAN BE.
♪
WOW. THAT'S--THAT'S POWERFUL.
I'M TELLING YOUI CAN SEE YOUR WRITING IMPROVED GREATLY
SINCE THE LAST TIMEI LOOKED AT IT.
YEAH. I'M GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE NOW
I ACTUALLY ENJOY WRITING THESE PAPERS.
YEAH, THAT'S SO TRUE.
MAX WEBER USESA GERMAN--
DEFINITELY WITH GERMAN,YOU HAVE WORDS
THAT HAVE MEANINGSBEYOND JUSTTHE SURFACE MEANING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE,ENLIGHTENMENT IS A WORD
THAT WE WOULD THINKMEANS TO THINK
AT A HIGHER LEVEL
OR TO GAIN A STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS,
BUT WHEN YOU READTHAT WORD ENLIGHTENMENTIN GERMAN,
IT HAS A WHOLE BUNCHOF CONNOTATIONS
OF A HISTORICAL PERIOD.
SO TRY TO READ WHAT'SUNDERLYING HIS WORDS.
HALL, VOICE-OVER: I'VE ALWAYS LOVED SCHOOL.
I WANTED TO COME HOME AND DO MY HOMEWORK.
I THINK IT WAS MAYBE SECOND OR THIRD GRADE,
AND A TEACHER ASKED US "HOW MANY OF YOU
WANT GO TO COLLEGE?"
MY HAND SHOT UP,
BUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE REALLY,
AND THAT WAS THE EXPERIENCETHAT KIND OF TOLD ME
MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BROADCAST
THAT, YOU KNOW, I LIKE SCHOOL.
I GREW UP IN BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN.
I COME FROM A SINGLE-PARENT HOME.
I WAS BORN IN 1975, SO I GUESS, YOU KNOW,
YOU COULD SAY THATI GREW UP IN THE EIGHTIES.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE WORLD I GREW UP IN
WAS PRETTY TENSE.
[SIREN]
IT WAS PRETTY VIOLENT TO SAY THE LEAST.
I REMEMBER TAKING ON THE WAY OF THINKING
THAT "DON'T THINK, JUST ACT."
I REMEMBER TELLING MYSELF THAT,
AND WHEN I FIRST DID IT,I GOT A GOOD PEER RESPONSE,
SO I JUST KEPT ON DOING IT.
I DON'T RECALL DOING ANY EXTENSIVE WRITING
IN MY HIGH SCHOOL.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE GRAMMAR AND THE STRUCTURE
IN WHICH I COULD EXPRESS MYSELF.
I MADE IT TO THE TENTH GRADE.
I HAD THIS MANNER OF READING THE FIRST CHAPTER,
THE MIDDLE CHAPTER, AND THE LAST CHAPTER
OF A BOOK, AND I WAS ABLE TO GET BY
DOING THAT.
I DIDN'T READ A WHOLE BOOKUNTIL I CAME TO JAIL.
HERNANDEZ: I GREW UP IN THE SOUTH BRONX
IN A PREDOMINANTLY HISPANIC
AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
MY MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS, LIKE, ONE
OF THE WORST MIDDLE SCHOOLS
IN THE ENTIRE CITY AT THAT TIME.
ON MY FIRST DAY, I SAW SOMEONE CHASE ANOTHER GUY
WITH A SWITCHBLADE IN HIS HAND.
I WAS JUMPED THERE A FEW TIMES.
THESE GUYS KEEP BEATING ME UP.
YOU KNOW, I BECAME VIOLENTMYSELF TO DEFEND MYSELF.
THAT'S WHEN I REALLY STARTED CUTTING SCHOOL,
YOU KNOW, UM, CUTTING CLASS.
WHEN EVERYONE YOU, ALL YOURFRIENDS ARE GANG MEMBERS
AND DRUG DEALERS, DROPOUTS,
HOW ELSE TO FIT INTO THAT?
I JOINED THE GANGS, I SOLD DRUGS.
I DID THINGS I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T OF DID.
I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I WAS A PART OF SOCIETY.
I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I WAS A CITIZEN.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT A CITIZEN WAS SUPPOSED TO DO,
WHAT SORT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
THEY HAD TO OTHERS.
I FELT LIKE I HAD A RESPONSIBILITY
TO THE PEOPLE I KNEW, TO MY FAMILY,
ALTHOUGH I LET THEM DOWN, AND MY FRIENDS.
ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THAT I DIDN'T KNOW,
I DIDN'T OWE THEM ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, I--
NOBODY EVER TAUGHT ME ANY OF THAT.
WE DIDN'T LEARN THAT.
[RADIO SQUAWKS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
TATRO: THIS IS MY THIRD FULL SEMESTER.
BARD JUST GETS PROGRESSIVELY HARDER.
I HAD A PROFESSOR TELL US,YOU KNOW, "I TEACH COLLEGE,
"AND I TEACH TO THE BEST STUDENTS
"IN THE MOST ELITEUNIVERSITIES IN THE COUNTRY,
"AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO HERE.
LET'S GET STARTED."
WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU THAT,IT'S A WHOLE NEW DAY.
TATRO: I WAS JUST THINKING
YOU HAVE THIS IRISH POPULATION
WHO'S KIND OF AGAINST THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
IN THEIR LIVES, AND YET THEY SEEM TO BE
THE ONES ADVOCATING FOR, LIKE,
A GREATER GOVERNMENT PRESENCE IN SOME SENSE.
LIKE, HOW IS THAT--
CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THAT TENSION?
PROFESSOR: IT'S ABOUT POWER... OK.
AND USING POWER TO ACTUALLY
BOTH PROTECT THEMSELVES BUT ALSO TO SECURE
THEIR POSITION WITHIN THE GREATER
URBAN, YOU KNOW, COMPLEX.
SEVERAL OF YOU HAVEIN THE PAST REFERENCED THINGS
LIKE W.E.B. DU BOIS'
DOUBLE CONSCIOUSNESS, RIGHT,
BUT THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO EXTEND
THAT METAPHOR TO THE IRISH.
OK. SO THEY CONSTANTLY HAVE TO NEGOTIATE
OR RENEGOTIATE THIS TENSION?
THE TENSION IS OBVIOUS FOR US,
BUT, IN FACT, LIKE DU BOIS' DOUBLE CONSCIOUSNESS,
IT'S NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE DAY YOU'RE ONE THING
AND THE NEXT DAY YOU'RE THE NEXT.
IT'S, IN FACT, ACTUALLY THAT THERE ARE
TWO EMOTIONAL, PERSONAL, COMMUNAL STRUGGLES
HAPPENING WITHIN YOU.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT,YOU KNOW, I TAKE FOR GRANTED
WHEN I'M TEACHING AT MIT THAT I CAN JUST DO
THAT I CAN'T DO HERE.
THE MIXED MEDIA THAT YOU'LLUSE INSIDE A CLASSROOM
AT AN ELITE INSTITUTION THATI CAN'T REPRODUCE HERE.
HERE, YOU GO BACK TO A MOREBASIC TEACHING STRUCTURE
SO WHAT ELSE I HAVE, YOU KNOW?
SO U1, A1, U2, A2, SO U3, A3,
AND PLUS NOW U4, A4. OK.
WILDER: OUR STUDENTS IN BPI SHOW UP TO CLASS
EXTRAORDINARILY WELL-PREPARED,
AND SO A LOT OF THAT SORT OF GIMMICKRY
THAT WE NEED, WE DON'T NEED HERE AS MUCH
BECAUSE ACTUALLY EVERYONE'S DONE THE READING.
MAN: ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE
COMBINING ALL OF THE COMPONENTS
OF YOUR VECTOR AND YOUR--
PROFESSOR: YES, I'M GONNA JUST PUT THIS ASIDE.
THIS WAS CONNECTIVITY.
SO YOU'RE COLLECTING THE TERMS?
AND THIS ONE TOGETHER, YOU KNOW,
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
[SPEAKING CHINESE]
[STUDENTS SPEAKING ALONG]
[SPEAKS CHINESE] VEHICLE.
[SPEAKS CHINESE]
[STUDENTS REPEAT]
[SPEAKS CHINESE]
[PROFESSOR SPEAKS CHINESE]
YOUR CAR ALREADY STOPPED OR--
[PROFESSOR SPEAKS CHINESE SLOWLY]
HA! THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.
YOU'RE INCARCERATED, YOU'RE IN JAIL,
AND IN THE MIDST OF THAT CHAOS,
IN THE MIDST OF THIS ROUTINE, YOU FIND SOMETHING.
IT'S LIKE A OASIS,
YOU KNOW, A FERTILE PLACE IN THE DESERT,
AND THIS IS WHAT THIS DOES.
IT'S NOT THE NORM. THIS IS NOT THE NORM.
GOES BACK AGAIN UNTIL IT COMPLETES.
PROFESSOR: OK. L.P.
KENNER: FOR A GENERATION, COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY WAS
A CENTRAL PART OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT WAS THE LEAST EXPENSIVEAND BEST WAY TO REDUCE
VIOLENCE, REDUCE RECIDIVISM, AND INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY,
AND YET IT BECAMEA LIGHTNING ROD POLITICALLY.
THERE HAD BEEN COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY
IN VIRTUALLY EVERY STATE
AND FEDERAL PRISON IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT WAS ELIMINATED OVERNIGHTWITH THE CLINTON CRIME BILL.
THE PLAN IS NOT--IS TOUGH. IT IS FAIR.
IT WILL PUT POLICE ON THE STREET
AND CRIMINALS IN JAIL.
IT LETS LAW-ABIDING CITIZENSKNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING
TO GIVE THEM THE SAFETY THEY DESERVE.
PETER JENNINGS:ON CAPITOL HILL TODAY, MEMBERS
OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE HAVE BEEN MEETING
TO WORK OUT THEIR DIFFERENCESOVER A NEW CRIME BILL,
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES ON THE TABLE HAS TO DO
WITH PRISONERS WHO TAKE COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES
WHILE THEY'RE BEHIND BARS.
UNDER THE NEW CRIME BILL, THE FEDERAL AID MONEY
THAT HELPS THEM DO IT MAY BE ELIMINATED.
ANNUCCI: PEOPLE WERE ANGRY ABOUT CRIMINALS.
THEY WERE ANGRY ABOUT OFFENDERS.
THEY THOUGHT IF YOU COMMIT A CRIME YOU SHOULD
GO TO PRISON, YOU SHOULD BE PUNISHED,
YOU SHOULD NOT RECEIVE THE BENEFIT
OF HIGHER EDUCATION,
SO AS MUCH AS WE TRIED VERY HARD TO CONVINCE
THE POWERS THAT BE, AT LEASTON THE FEDERAL LEVEL,
THAT THAT WAS A SHORT-SIGHTED DECISION,
YOU COULDN'T FIGHT AGAINSTTHE 20-SECOND SOUNDBITE.
WE ARE SENDING A TERRIBLE MESSAGE
TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WHEN WE WERE SPENDING
AT LEAST $35 MILLION SENDING CONVICTED FELONS
TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING.
OUR CONSTITUENTS ALREADY PAYTO FEED, HOUSE, CLOTHE,
AND REHABILITATE PRISONERS.
♪
HALL: I WAS IN PRISON FOR A YEAR WHEN COLLEGE
WAS TAKEN AWAY QUICKLY.
YOU KNOW, I WAS INTERESTED IN ENROLLING,
BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO,
SO I KIND OF WAS, LIKE, LEFT OUT,
LIKE, "WHAT AM I GONNA DO NOW?"
ANNUCCI: WE DID NOT HAVE ANY TAXPAYER-BASED MONEY
TO SUPPORT COLLEGE PROGRAMMING,
BUT A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALSDECIDED THAT THERE WERE
OTHER WAYS TO PROVIDE THAT SAME PROGRAMMING
BASICALLY THROUGH PRIVATE DONATIONS,
AND IT'S TAKEN OFF.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE MORE.
♪
PROFESSOR: FOR THIS CLASS, YOU'RE DRAWING
FROM YOUR PERSONAL...
KENNER: BPI HAS NO ENDOWMENT,NO STUDENTS PAY TUITION,
SO EVERY SEMESTER, EVERY YEAR
IS A...EXISTENTIAL EVENT,
BUT IN PHILANTHROPY, EVERYPROFESSIONAL WANTS TO JUDGE
OUR SUCCESS OR FAILURE BY ONE METRIC
AND ONE MEASURE ALONE,
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHATTHEY CALL RECIDIVISM,
WHICH IS THE RATE AT WHICHPEOPLE WHO ARE RELEASED
FROM PRISON RETURN.
WE MUST END THE CYCLE OF RECIDIVISM.
NEARLY HALF, NEARLY HALF OF THE MINORITIES
WHO GO TO PRISON COME OUT AND GO BACK
THROUGH THE REVOLVING DOOR ONCE AGAIN.
OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WENT
THROUGH THE BARD COLLEGE PROGRAM,
THE RECIDIVISM RATE HAS ONLY BEEN 4%,
4% COMPARED TO CLOSE TO 50%.
[APPLAUSE]
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS PROGRAM,
AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND IT TO PRISONS
ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
[APPLAUSE]
♪
THE GOVERNMENT WILL SPEND $60,000 A YEAR
ON A PRISON CELL TO KEEP A PERSON IN PRISON,
MORE MONEY THAN IT TAKES TO SEND A PERSON
TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY FOR A YEAR.
NEWSCASTER: GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS PROPOSED USING
TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO FULLY FUNDA COLLEGE DEGREE FOR CONVICTS.
HE SAYS IT WOULD BE GOODFOR THE STATE IN THE LONG RUN.
SO MY 10-YEAR-OLD NOW--I JUST TOLD HIM YESTERDAY,
"YOU'RE ON A NEW CAREER TRACK."
[LAUGHTER]
"WHEN YOU'RE 18,YOU'RE GONNA ROB THAT BANK
IN POUGHKEEPSIE"...
[LAUGHTER]
"BECAUSE YOU GOT 4 YEARS COMING TO YOU COURTESY
"OF GOVERNOR CUOMO,
AND YOU'RE GONNA COME OUT LOOKING GREAT."
♪
LOPEZ: A LOT OF PEOPLE FEELTHAT THEY WORK DAMN HARD
TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND THAT IF ANYONE
SHOULD GET AN EDUCATIONIT SHOULD BE THEIR CHILDREN,
NOT SOMEONE WHO HAS MENACED SOCIETY,
HAS COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST CITIZENS,
BUT THEY NAMED THIS THING
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
HOW COULD YOU CORRECT SOMEONE IF YOU'RE TAKING
THE VERY TOOLS THAT ACTUALLYCORRECT AND REHABILITATE
THE INDIVIDUALS
THAT YOU WANT TO BE PROTECTED FROM?
MAN: "THAT GLIB AND OILY ART,TO SPEAK AND PURPOSE NOT,
"SINCE WHAT I WELL INTEND
"I'LL DO 'T BEFORE I SPEAK--
"THAT YOU MAKE KNOWN IT IS NO VICIOUS BLOT,
MURDER, OR FOULNESS."
SO I GUESS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, SHE'S SAYING
SHE'S GOING TO SPEAKHER MIND, YOU KNOW, TO LEAR.
SHE'S GOING TO BE DEFIANT, AND, UH...
SHE'S NOT GONNA LISTEN TO HIM.
MENGERT: "GLIB AND OILY ART."
WHY OILY? WHY IS THIS ART OILY?
MAN: THE SISTERS ARE BASICALLY KISSING BEHIND
TO GET THEIR PART OF THE KINGDOM,
AND SHE'S NOT HAVING NONE OF THAT.
IT'S GREASY, IT'S LIKE A PORK CHOP.
IT'S GREASY.
IT'S A TERM THAT WE USE IN THE YARD
WHEN SOMEBODY'S ACTING, YOU KNOW, SHADY
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
"HE'S A GREASY CHARACTER."
MENGERT: AS WE'VE JUST READ "PLATO'S REPUBLIC,"
CAN YOU PUT THAT IN CONVERSATION
WITH "THE REPUBLIC"?
GONZALEZ: THEY'RE SO GREEDY FOR GAIN
THAT THEY'RE NOT EVEN THINKING
ABOUT THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE
OR REALLY HONORING THEIR FATHER.
THEIR SIGHT IS ON HALF THE KINGDOM,
THIRD OF THE KINGDOM,
AND, UH, SHE CHOOSES TO NOT GO THAT ROUTE.
SHE REASONS IT OUT AND SAYS,
"I'M NOT GONNA PLAY THIS GAME
"THAT THEY'RE PLAYING.
"THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME TO BE HONEST
AND VIRTUOUS AND STAND WITH INTEGRITY."
BROWN: LEAR REPRESENTS THE PHILOSOPHER KING.
THEN SHE'S SUPPOSEDTO ADHERE
TO WHATEVER HE HASTO SAY
BECAUSE HE'S THE RULEROF THE KINGDOM,
SO HE KNOWS WHAT'SBEST FOR THE KINGDOM,
AND IF WE TALKINGABOUT PLATO,"THE REPUBLIC,"
THE HAPPINESSOF THE KINGDOM
IS THE ULTIMATE GOALOF THE KING,
SO I GUESS SHE'S WRONGBY DENYING HIM.
ALL RIGHT, BUT WHAT HAPPENS--
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE KING IS WRONG?
HE'S STILL SUPPOSED TO BE OBEYED?
BECAUSE HE'S OBVIOUSLY WRONG.
MENGERT: HA HA HA! HE'S DEFINITELY WRONG.
HIS KINGDOM, HE GIVES IT AWAY,
AND THEY CAST HIM ASIDE EVENTUALLY.
GONZALEZ: IT'S BEEN REWARDING ALREADY.
IT'S 3 MONTHS I'VE ONLY BEEN IN HERE.
YOU'RE PUTTING WORDS TO SYSTEMS
THAT YOU'VE RECOGNIZED YOUR WHOLE LIFE
BUT YOU NEVER HAD A WORD FOR IT.
RIGHT? HEGEMONY OR ALIENATION.
IT'S REWARDING, BUT IT'S HARDER.
IT'S DIFFICULT.
WE'RE GETTING PILED ON HERE.
♪
PROFESSOR: OK. SO OF COURSE,
THE BIG DEAL TODAY IS GETTING
YOUR FIRST PAPERS BACK.
A COUPLE OF GENERAL POINTS.
QUOTATION OF THE AUTHORS IS OVERUSED.
YOU WANT TO BE USINGQUOTATIONS VERY SPARINGLY.
I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU SAYAND HOW YOU UNDERSTAND
THE HISTORIANS, OK?
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
I'M GONNA MOVE OVER TO THAT TABLE,
AND I'LL CALL YOU OVER ONE AT A TIME.
WOMAN: THAT'S NOT BAD.
SO I'M GONNA READTO YOU MY FINAL COMMENTS,
AND THEN WE'LL GOTHROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T REALLY FEEL LIKE I REALLY--
I DON'T KNOW, GRASP--
I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND, LIKE.
YOU'RE GONNA GETA SECOND CRACKAT THIS, OK?
NO THESIS,AND THAT'S PROBABLY
THE CRITICAL ELEMENTTHAT'S MISSING
BECAUSE IF YOUHAD DEVELOPED A THESISIN THE INTRODUCTION,
THEN THE RESTOF THE PAPER WOULDHAVE BEEN BETTER.
CALGON,TAKE ME AWAY!
RIGHT, RIGHT.
WOMAN: I WAS UPSTUDYING,
READING THE MATERIAL,TRYING TO MAKE NOTES,
AND EVERYTHING,AND I GOT A CON MY PAPER.
WOMAN: I THINK WE WERE ALL KIND OF TAUGHT
TO, LIKE, REALLY ADMIRE THE CONSTITUTION
AND THE FRAMERS AND STUFF,
AND NOW, WE'RE KIND OF LEARNING
HOW THAT AFFECTED JUST COMMON PEOPLE BACK IN THE DAY.
WE NEVER--I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THIS GREAT THING
AND AMERICA BECAME DEMOCRATIC,
BUT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE
THAT WE'RE LEARNING THIS NOW,
YOU REALIZE THAT'S NOT REALLY THE CASE,
GRAHAM: WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING
AT HISTORY THE WAY IT'S NORMALLY TAUGHT IN SCHOOL.
WE'RE ACTUALLY DISSECTING IT OURSELVES.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT
WHERE THE SOURCE IS COMING FROM
AND HOW AUTHENTIC THE--THE DOCUMENT IS,
AND WE'RE BREAKING IT DOWN ON OUR OWN,
WE'RE MAKING OUR OWN INFERENCES.
I'VE GOTTEN LOWEST GRADE I'VE EVER GOTTEN
IN MY LIFE ON A PAPER.
IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
[LAUGHTER]
WOMAN: MRROW!
SHE'S NOT DISCLOSING THIS INFORMATION.
I GOT TO FINISH AN 8-PAGE ETHNICOG--
ETHNI--I CAN'T EVEN SAY THAT WORD.
INTERVIEWER:ETHNOGRAPHIC?
I HAVE A PROBLEM. YEAH, ETHNOGRAPHIC REPORT.
I GOT TO FINISH MENGERT'S PAPER,
AND ME AND HER... ARE BATTLING
WITH MY WITH MY THESIS...
AND ENGLISH, GRAMMAR, I HATE GRAMMAR.
IT'S ALL ABOUT RULES AND LEARNING RULES,
AND EWW!
BEING LOCKED UP AT 17 AND THEN NOT EVEN KNOWING
MY TIMES TABLEWHEN I FIRST GOT LOCKED UP
BECAUSE I WAS YOUNG, THEN HAVING GET MY GED,
THEN HAVING TO GO INTO BARD,
IT'S BEEN JUST A REOCCURRING THEME
OF BUILDING MYSELF UP,
YOU KNOW, GETTING SMARTER, GETTING SMARTER.
I DIDN'T DRINK COFFEE BEFORE THIS.
I JUST STARTED DRINKING COFFEE.
NOW I'M STAYING UP ALL NIGHT,
AND I'M NOT GOING OUTSIDE,
I'M NOT GONNA GO WORK OUT.
I'M MORE INTO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT THIS TEXT MEANS AND MAKING SURE
THAT I GET IT DOWN.
THAT'S FOR THE MOST PART WHAT I'M DOING NOW
[EXHALES]
ANNUCCI: I'D MUCH RATHER HAVESOMEONE WORRYING, STUDYING
"AM I GONNA PASS MY EXAMINATION?"
VERSUS SOMEONE STUDYING
"HOW AM I GONNA PASS CONTRABAND
"BEYOND THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT?
"HOW AM I GONNA PASS HEROIN
PAST THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT?"
SECURITY, UNFORTUNATELY, HAS TO PERMEATE
EVERY ASPECTOF CORRECTIONAL OPERATIONS.
THESE ARE CONVICTED FELONS,
AND THE OFFICERS HAVE TO DO THEIR JOBS,
THEY HAVE TO BE RESPECTED,
AND THEY HAVE TO BE SAFE,
BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, THE INMATES
HAVE TO BE TREATED HUMANELY.
MAN ON RADIO: HE'S BEEN LOCATED.
HE'S ON HIS WAY BACK.
WOMAN ON RADIO: 6-4 COPIES.
HALL: I HAVE HAD OFFICERS WHO ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE
AND ENCOURAGING,
AND I HAVE HAD OFFICERS THAT SOME WAY OR ANOTHER
POINT OUT "DON'T THINK BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING
AN EDUCATION THAT YOU GOT SOMETHING OVER ME."
ANNUCCI: MOST CORRECTION OFFICERS DO NOT HAVE
COLLEGE EDUCATION,SO PART OF THE DYNAMIC HERE
IS A POTENTIAL RESENTMENT FOR SOMEBODY
THAT HAS TO OBEY YOUR ORDERS BUT THAT--
BUT MAY NOW FEEL THAT THEY'RE SMARTER THAN YOU.
ISRAIL: THERE ARE RULES. IT'S PRISON,
AND RULES HAVE CONSEQUENCESWHEN THEY'RE BROKEN.
[RADIO CHATTER]
♪
GAERTNER: ONE OF THE FEARS IHAVE IS, IS GETTING LOCKED UP
WHILE I'M IN THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO,
YOU KNOW, WORK HARDFOR 2, 3 MONTHS, YOU KNOW,
DOING ALL THESE ASSIGNMENTS AND EVERYTHING
AND THEN ALLOF A SUDDEN GET LOCKED UP.
♪
SPIVEY-JONES: SHU IS LIKE A JAIL INSIDE OF A JAIL.
YOU SPEND 23 HOURS A DAY IN A CELL.
YOU EAT IN THE CELL.
YOU HAVE ACCESS TO MAYBE 5 BOOKS,
5 OR 10 PHOTOS.
MAN: SHU TEARS YOU UP, MAN,
TEARS YOU UP, BREAKS YOU DOWN
MENTALLY CAUSE YOU'RE LOCKED UP IN A CELL
FOR 23 HOURS A DAY WITH NO CONTACT.
YOU CAN'T TALK TO ANYONE,
AND THAT TAKES A TOLL ON YOU, MAN.
♪
DIFFERENT MAN: I STARTED BPI IN THE FALL OF 2008.
IN 2009, I FAILED A DRUG TEST.
THAT SENT GOT ME SENT UPSTATE
OUT OF THIS FACILITY AND OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
I'D HOPED EVENTUALLY TO MAKE MY WAY BACK HERE.
♪
[RADIO CHATTER]
PROFESSOR: IF YOU'RE DRAWING WITH LIGHT...
KIM, VOICE-OVER: A LOT OF USARE FLAWED IN SOME WAY,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS,
AND A LOT OF US HAVE ADDICTIONS,
AND THOSE AREN'T THINGS THAT JUST GO AWAY.
THEY'RE KIND OF WITH YOU ALWAYS.
AFTER THE FACT, YOU KICK YOURSELF.
"OH HOW COULD I HAVE DONE THAT?
IT WAS SO STUPID. IT WAS SO POINTLESS."
YOU START TO REEVALUATE WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU,
AND, UM, I'M JUST GLAD I'M BACK.
[BELL RINGING]
LIEBERT: SO HERE WE'RE READING
AESCHYLUS'S "ORESTEIA,"
3 TRAGEDIES DEALING WITH THE LEGENDARY CURSE
ON THE HOUSE OF ATREUS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY
A MYTHOLOGICAL KIND OF COMPLEX
THAT RELATES VERY MUCH TO HOMER'S "ILIAD."
ALL OF THESE STUDENTS HAVETAKEN, WITH ONE EXCEPTION,
MY HOMER CLASS LAST YEAR,AND SO THEY'RE SORT OF LIKE
SPECIALISTS ALREADY IN CLASSICS.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TO GETTHEM TO RELATE TO TEXTS
THAT SEEM AT FIRST TO BEREALLY FOREIGN AND STRANGE
AND TO REALIZE ACTUALLY THATTHEY'RE QUITE RELATABLE.
READ IT ONE MORE TIME.
"BUT IT IS THE LAWTHAT DROPS OF BLOOD SPILT
"ON THE GROUND DEMANDFURTHER BLOODSHED;
"FOR MURDER CALLSON THE ERINYES,
"WHO FROM THOSE WHOPERISHED BEFORE
BRINGS ONE RUINTO ANOTHER'S WAKE."
LIEBERT: "BRINGS ONE RUIN IN ANOTHER'S WAKE."
YEAH, SO THAT'S CRUCIAL. RIGHT.
IT "BRINGS ONE RUIN IN ANOTHER'S WAKE."
IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE CHORUS THEMSELVES
ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, "IN MURDERING
"AS RETALIATION FOR MURDER,
YOU ARE BOUND TO BRING RUIN ON TO YOURSELF,"
AND YET THEY'RE INSISTING THAT THAT'S
THE ONLY FORM OF JUSTICE.
TATRO: THIS IDEA OF--IT'S IDEALISTIC,THE JUSTICE...
LIEBERT: YEAH, OF "THE AGAMEMNON"--
OF THE TYPE OF REVENGETHAT TAKES PLACEIN "THE AGAMEMNON,"
WHEREAS INTHE "CHOEPHORI,"
THEY COME STRAIGHT OUTAND SAY IT.
IT'S VERY BLUNT.
IT'S THIS ISA LIFE FOR A LIFE.
YEAH, NO. YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU'RE RIGHT.
DID OTHERS SENSE THAT, THAT THE CONCEPTION
OF JUSTICE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE TWO?
MAN: I THINK WE HAVEIN "THE AGAMEMNON"
WHERE WE'RE LOOKINGAT JUSTICE BEING,
I GUESS, NURTUREDFROM THE TIME
THAT IPHIGENIA IS MURDEREDUP UNTIL THE TIME
THAT AGAMEMNON LANDS BACKAT HIS HOUSE,
SO WE HAVE THIS NARRATIVETHAT KEEPS GETTING SUNG
THOUGH THE WHOLE PLAYWHERE WE HAVE THIS CONCEPT
OF JUSTICE IS NEARING.
♪
YOON: BECAUSE WE'REIN PRISON, WE'RE NOT ANIMALS.
THESE GREEN COLORS,THEY DON'T DEFINE WHO WE ARE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT DEFINES US IS OUR--IS OUR MINDS
AND OUR HEARTS,
THAT WE HAVE MORALITIES EVEN IN PRISON.
SPIVEY-JONES: WHAT COLLEGE DOES,
IT HELPS US IT HELPS US LEARN ABOUT THE NATION,
IT HELPS US BECOME CIVIC BEINGS.
IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE AN INTEREST
IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT OUR COMMUNITY
IS A PART OF US AND WE ARE A PART OF IT,
AND OFTENTIMES, WE DON'T FEEL THAT WAY
IN A PRISON ENVIRONMENT.
WE FEEL AS IF WE'RE CUT OFF FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY IS AGAINST US.
HALL: WE GET CAUGHT UPIN THIS NOTION OF OURSELVES
AS A PRISONER,AS THIS CONTAINED IDENTITY
THAT SEES THE WORLD AS IF IT'S AGAINST US
AND WHEN REALLY WE ARE-- WE HAVE DONE THINGS
TO MAKE THE WORLD GO AGAINST US,
AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
BY OPENING MY MIND IN THE CLASSROOM,
I WAS ABLE TO GET A BETTER SENSE OF THAT.
[PROFESSOR SPEAKING SPANISH]
♪
IT TOOK ME 21 YEARS AND A HALF TO MAKE IT
TO THE POINT WHERE I WILL BECONSIDERED FOR PAROLE.
EVEN THOUGH I HAVE DEVOTED MUCH PRAYER AND AWARENESS
TO WHY I HAVE BEEN IN JAIL,
THE PAROLE PROCESS BROUGHT ITTO A REAL STRONG HEAD FOR ME.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU I NEVER WANTED ANYTHING
AS BAD IN MY LIFE, THOUGH, YOU KNOW.
I WANTED THE PAROLE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I MADE
A LOT OF IRRATIONAL DECISIONS.
MY WHOLE WAY OF THINKING WAS "OK. PEOPLE GONNA FIGHT YOU
AND ROB YOU UNLESS YOU FIGHT BACK."
I BECAME VERY RECKLESS, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED
ON ONE NIGHT A GUY CAME TO THE AREA
IN WHICH I LIVED AND DREW A WEAPON,
AND I WAS TOTALLY NOT EVENIN THE LINE OF FIRE
OR AROUND IT, BUT WHEN I SAW
THAT HE DID THAT, I, UM, RAN TOWARDS
WHERE MY FRIENDS WERE AND GOT A GUN
THAT I KNEW MY FRIEND HAD AND ENGAGED
INTO THIS GUNFIGHT WITH HIM,
AND THE RESULT WAS A LADY THAT I HAD GREW UP WITH,
A LADY I LOOKED UP TO, UH, LOST HER LIFE.
I REALLY DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY JUSTIFICATION
FOR GETTING A GUN AND PARTAKING
IN WHAT I PARTOOK IN.
I DIDN'T KNOW THE GUY.
IT WAS JUST THAT WHOLE IDEA
THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE,
AND THE ONLY WAY IT'S GONNA STOP
IF YOU TAKE A STAND TO IT,
WHICH WAS A WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS WRONG
THAT CAUSED SO MUCH DESTRUCTION.
♪
A PERSON LOST THEIR LIFE THOUGH, YOU KNOW,
A PERSON WHO I CONSIDERED A FRIEND.
I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD FORGIVE MYSELF FOR THAT.
SOMETIMES, I DO ASK "DO I DESERVE TO LEAVE?"
♪
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JOIN THE CONVERSATIONWITH #COLLEGEBEHINDBARSPBS.
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ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.
♪
ANNOUNCER: AT BANK OF AMERICA,WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER
TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE PROUDTO SPONSOR "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS"
FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER KEN BURNS
AND DIRECTOR LYNN NOVICK,
HIGHLIGHTING THE TRUE POWER OF EDUCATION.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE POWER TO DO?
FUNDING FOR "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS"
WAS PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS
OF THE BETTER ANGELS SOCIETY.
JOHN AND CATHERINE DEBS,
THE SCHWARTZ/REISMAN FOUNDATION,
THE COUSINS FOUNDATION,
THE ABRAMS FOUNDATION,
TED DINTERSMITH AND ELIZABETH HAZARD,
THE McCLOSKEY FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST.
FUNDING WAS ALSO PROVIDED BY:
THE FORD FOUNDATION JUSTFILMS
AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENTFOR THE HUMANITIES;
BY MEG AND TOMAS BERGSTRAND; REGINA K. SCULLY;
THE LISE STRICKLER AND MARK GALLOGLY
CHARITABLE FUND;
PATTY QUILLIN;
AND BY THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDERS.
AND BY GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION
FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.