Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f9AN79029316; Wed, 10 Oct 2001 19:07:09 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 19:07:09 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <7ADB45B391BF714283550310C8251A2F19B72A@exchange1.sos.state.mo.us> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Jones, Karen" <jonesk@sosmail.state.mo.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:1831] RE: prisoners and citizens X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Status: O Content-Length: 6300 Lines: 136 Maybe this isn't exactly what was being broached, but it seems to me pertinent...When I was teaching in a women's prison setting I hadn't yet discovered EFF (although I was doing a lot of EFF-type things covertly), but from that experience I have many responses to the community and citizen issue in prison classrooms. My students, too, reminded me that they did not have the right to vote so they would not graciously participate in activities like the mock election mandated by the educational supervisor. (Pointing out that many of them could eventually have the right restored didn't help a lot.) What we did struggle with, though, that I could really have used the EFF framework with, were issues of being "citizens" and community members of that camp (prison facility). Of course the inmates were a group of individuals and not all fit into the patterns I'm citing, but enough did that you couldn't help but notice the need. As for the activities on the citizen/community member role map - * I admit that things were arranged in order to discourage their taking action to influence decision makers, but they took plenty of negative action that influenced decision makers by hacking the decision makers off and as a result getting a batch of new restrictions. * Becoming and staying informed would have been most pertinent - oh! how many of them racked up violations because they did not quite understand rules and routines or had believed the wrong information source. And believe it or not, a few of them were there for things they had not known were illegal or thought some technicality (like being pregnant) would keep them out of prison. * Finding out how the system works never occurred to most of them, so they were frustrated even more than they had to be by things like putting requests for medical care in the wrong box, using a forbidden phone and getting in trouble, and assuming their lawyers had all kinds of power they didn't. * The idea that there were sources of valid information besides their personal experience was foreign to many. * The idea of learning from other' experiences instead of taking the fall yourself once again was rare. * "Communicate so others understand" was needed, especially if we are talking verbal communication. * A few years in prison might be the time to reflect on and reevaluate your own opinions and ideas, but most of our students just hoped they would never get caught again or railed against their lawyers. (Now there's a decision maker they sometimes can influence - their lawyer. Commenting on the poor quality of her back side is NOT the way to get an earlier appeal date.) * Admittedly there was caution needed in getting involved in that community, but there were ways that didn't put you in the line of fire that could have helped. The idea that everyone assigned to the camp was somehow "in this together" and affecting each other was just outside the box for most of these women. If they did occasionally pull together it seemed transitory. ( And of course we had gathered up there a lot of people with mental difficulties and values systems that were not focused on any one else's benefit, so some of the pertinent information was who to watch out for.) * We could tell the students had many common values, visions (surviving and getting out), and goals, (mail, comfort, fewer restrictions, medical care) but to help yourself and others in any way recognized by the mainstream culture was not the usual agenda. * And shall we put "manage and resolve conflict" in large capital letters???? In many ways a prison camp is very much like a small town. Everyone knows almost everyone and everyone knows other people's business. Everyone shops at the same place and worships at the same place and eats the same food and uses the same library and works for the same "company" (even if the section is different) and has the same routines. There were a few women who had formed close dependable friendships. (And interestingly, many formed what they referred to as "pretend families" although the members changed often.) There were some remnants of gangs left inside the walls and those women seemed to have some brief sense that their lives were touching somehow. But otherwise so many of those students/inmates often behaved in ways that made life harder for everyone, and never caught on that their behavior had anything to do with "the community", with losses and restrictions to themselves or anyone else. I'm sorry I can't close with any success stories, but to have even suggested the possibility of the common activities under the community member role map just might have opened new ways of thinking, The activities really are spelled out well and rather behaviorally. In spite of not being able to vote, inmates are citizens of the world they live in and they are certainly community members. I wish we had had a framework to talk about the subject instead of being so focused on GED prep...Maybe I'm still just venting - if so forgive me. Karen Jones. -----Original Message----- From: KUTHFAM@aol.com [mailto:KUTHFAM@aol.com] Sent: Monday, October 08, 2001 4:07 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:1828] current events >>Please express your opinion, etc...something about this message on the 4EFF list. It's been very quiet and I'd appreciate your help in whatever small way. > > >In a small way: > >I've been focusing on the standard "Read with Understanding" in my classroom. I've used various subject areas, not starting with things that are obviously reading. I've used language, math and a newspaper article to illustrate how to read with understanding. > >In one round of discussion, we discussed using "read" in our adult roles. The topic of reading about terrorism in the newspaper came up, and we discussed how it fit our family, worker, citizen roles. My students are in a drug and alcohol program, have committed crimes and been to prison, are felons and have lost their right to vote, so they don't feel much like citizens. Discussing reading about terrorism in the newspaper was one area where they seemed to feel like "real citizens." > > >Millie Kuth >Hamilton City ABLE >Hamilton OH 45011
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