Investing in the Love of Learning

Hey there, Sunday Morning Coffee-ites! Welcome back to our easy-like-a-Sunday-morning conversations, where we dive deep into the fascinating world of education behind bars and out here in the free. I took last Sunday off, you may have noticed, as we had some mad Mother’s Day celebrating going on at our place. To all you moms, I hope your day was beautiful and full of joy. Mine certainly was!

Today, we're shining a spotlight on the incredible impact of lifelong learning within correctional facilities.

Imagine this: a classroom filled with eager learners, hungry for knowledge and determined to turn their lives around. That's the reality for many educators who work in correctional education. Contrary to popular belief, these individuals are not defined by their mistakes but by their potential for growth and change. Education behind bars isn't just about teaching academic subjects; it's about empowering individuals to see beyond their circumstances and envision a brighter future. From basic literacy skills to advanced degrees to industry certification to cognitive behavior modification, every step of the educational journey opens doors to new opportunities and possibilities.

One of the most remarkable aspects of teaching in a correctional facility is witnessing the transformative power of education firsthand. We've all heard the success stories of individuals who have gone on to achieve great things post-release, and education often plays a pivotal role in their journey of rehabilitation and reintegration into society. One of the biggest pay-offs for me is seeing people who discover their love for learning. So many incarcerated individuals in this country never had a real opportunity to pursue education, and when those doors are opened to them, they embrace it with all their being! Man. That’s the BIGGEST payoff for an educator.

But it's not just about individual success; it's about the broader societal impact of investing in education behind bars. Studies have shown that providing educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals reduces recidivism rates, saves taxpayer dollars, and ultimately makes our communities safer and more prosperous.

Of course, teaching in a correctional environment comes with its own set of challenges. From limited resources to security concerns that limit instructional tools and keep students from being able to come to class, educators must navigate a complex landscape while fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. If you’re a public school teacher or a university professor, imagine that you don’t have access to text books, or the internet, or staples (yep. Many facilities ban staples), or paper clips, or map colors, or highlighters, or chart paper, or…the list goes on. And these decisions are frequently made without consultation or warning. I’ve seen education staff walk into their classrooms at the beginning of the workday to find their room has been robbed of electrical cords, pens, pencils, composition books, dry erase markers, instructional materials…all taken by overnight correctional staff. I remember once walking into the school area to find that correctional staff had taken every teacher computer, computers from the instructional lab, and the administrative staff computers, and ‘redistributed’ them throughout the facility so that correctional staff could use them (they all got returned by lunch, but it took me four hours of being a not-so-nice-person to retrieve them. Thank goodness they were all purchased with federal grant funds, or you know, I might not have won that one).

It’s not just correctional workers, either. I once had a visiting policy-maker who came to see a successful educational program (by successful, here I mean that data showing the number of jobs people obtained after release were high and recidivism was at an all-time low), and his one question was why we would reward bad people by letting them get an education.

And yet, despite the obstacles, the rewards for working in this field far outweigh the challenges. Every success story of how education changed someone’s life isn’t a story about one life…it’s the story of the lives connected to that person. Every mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, friend, employer…and most importantly, every child.

So, to all the educators out there who are making a difference behind bars, we salute you! Your dedication, passion, and unwavering belief in the power of education are changing lives and shaping futures every single day. Keep up the amazing work, and remember, the impact you're making is truly invaluable.

And for everyone else, by investing in the educational needs of the over 2 million folks who are incarcerated in this country, we're not just unlocking doors; we're unlocking potential and paving the way for a brighter tomorrow. Shout that out loud and often.

Cheers (tipping my coffee cup to you and wishing you all the happiness you deserve today)!