Comments on: A Teacher’s Day in the Clink http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html Dissected News for a Curious World Tue, 06 Sep 2011 05:11:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Danny http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html/comment-page-1#comment-10 Danny Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:42:53 +0000 http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html#comment-10 Thanks for the hype! I've taken students to 3 different prisons and each has had a unique flavor. There's very raw, scripted, and uncensored script. The most access was provided at the old Charles Street Jail...cellblocks at their worse, catcalls, fear, adrenalin. Criminals with no remorse and the Cool Pose. Norfolk...heinous crimes, pathetic stories, some unrepentant, serious intake for all, but presented in auditorium fashion. The distance between the jailed and the visitors made comfortable. Dedham has all the elements of cutting edge prison theory. Sleek and pristine, laid out for maximum safety of inmates, staff and visitors. Yet the blocks and cells tell a different story. Not for the claustrophobic, not for those who didn't grow up with multiple siblings in the same room, same bed. I know. The lack of privacy marks every space. The physical closeness of the inmates brings a clear reality to every visitor in the room. You see their passion, their fears, their vulnerability. You can't leave without feeling their words, feeling their despair over lost lives. From back in the day lingo...prison is not the hype! Thanks for the hype! I’ve taken students to 3 different prisons and each has had a unique flavor. There’s very raw, scripted, and uncensored script. The most access was provided at the old Charles Street Jail…cellblocks at their worse, catcalls, fear, adrenalin. Criminals with no remorse and the Cool Pose. Norfolk…heinous crimes, pathetic stories, some unrepentant, serious intake for all, but presented in auditorium fashion. The distance between the jailed and the visitors made comfortable. Dedham has all the elements of cutting edge prison theory. Sleek and pristine, laid out for maximum safety of inmates, staff and visitors. Yet the blocks and cells tell a different story. Not for the claustrophobic, not for those who didn’t grow up with multiple siblings in the same room, same bed. I know. The lack of privacy marks every space. The physical closeness of the inmates brings a clear reality to every visitor in the room. You see their passion, their fears, their vulnerability. You can’t leave without feeling their words, feeling their despair over lost lives. From back in the day lingo…prison is not the hype!

]]> By: Danny http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html/comment-page-1#comment-397 Danny Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:42:00 +0000 http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html#comment-397 Thanks for the hype! I've taken students to 3 different prisons and each has had a unique flavor. There's very raw, scripted, and uncensored script. The most access was provided at the old Charles Street Jail...cellblocks at their worse, catcalls, fear, adrenalin. Criminals with no remorse and the Cool Pose. Norfolk...heinous crimes, pathetic stories, some unrepentant, serious intake for all, but presented in auditorium fashion. The distance between the jailed and the visitors made comfortable. Dedham has all the elements of cutting edge prison theory. Sleek and pristine, laid out for maximum safety of inmates, staff and visitors. Yet the blocks and cells tell a different story. Not for the claustrophobic, not for those who didn't grow up with multiple siblings in the same room, same bed. I know. The lack of privacy marks every space. The physical closeness of the inmates brings a clear reality to every visitor in the room. You see their passion, their fears, their vulnerability. You can't leave without feeling their words, feeling their despair over lost lives. From back in the day lingo...prison is not the hype! Thanks for the hype! I’ve taken students to 3 different prisons and each has had a unique flavor. There’s very raw, scripted, and uncensored script. The most access was provided at the old Charles Street Jail…cellblocks at their worse, catcalls, fear, adrenalin. Criminals with no remorse and the Cool Pose. Norfolk…heinous crimes, pathetic stories, some unrepentant, serious intake for all, but presented in auditorium fashion. The distance between the jailed and the visitors made comfortable. Dedham has all the elements of cutting edge prison theory. Sleek and pristine, laid out for maximum safety of inmates, staff and visitors. Yet the blocks and cells tell a different story. Not for the claustrophobic, not for those who didn’t grow up with multiple siblings in the same room, same bed. I know. The lack of privacy marks every space. The physical closeness of the inmates brings a clear reality to every visitor in the room. You see their passion, their fears, their vulnerability. You can’t leave without feeling their words, feeling their despair over lost lives. From back in the day lingo…prison is not the hype!

]]> By: The Hype http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html/comment-page-1#comment-9 The Hype Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:34:18 +0000 http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html#comment-9 The prisoners all wanted to stress that gateway drugs are exactly that, and that drugs and alcohol which started innocent enough turned ugly. They all had a refrain, that when they chose to drink their first beer or smoke their first joint, they were actually choosing to throw their lives away, and that by the time they knew what was going on it was far too late.<br/><br/>The only gang member of the group also spoke about how gangs and drugs replaced the stability, belonging, and love that is often otherwise missing from people's lives. He talked about how people used him, but he was now such a part of that system that he felt trapped.<br/><br/>Again, the tone could have been a "scare-you-straight" experience, but it never went there. Instead, it was a day of prison guards and inmates baring their emotions and insights into an ongoing American tragedy.<br/><br/>It was also mentioned by one of the prisoners that these questions were the 64 million dollar variety. The prisoners all wanted to stress that gateway drugs are exactly that, and that drugs and alcohol which started innocent enough turned ugly. They all had a refrain, that when they chose to drink their first beer or smoke their first joint, they were actually choosing to throw their lives away, and that by the time they knew what was going on it was far too late.

The only gang member of the group also spoke about how gangs and drugs replaced the stability, belonging, and love that is often otherwise missing from people’s lives. He talked about how people used him, but he was now such a part of that system that he felt trapped.

Again, the tone could have been a “scare-you-straight” experience, but it never went there. Instead, it was a day of prison guards and inmates baring their emotions and insights into an ongoing American tragedy.

It was also mentioned by one of the prisoners that these questions were the 64 million dollar variety.

]]> By: The Hype http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html/comment-page-1#comment-396 The Hype Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:34:00 +0000 http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html#comment-396 The prisoners all wanted to stress that gateway drugs are exactly that, and that drugs and alcohol which started innocent enough turned ugly. They all had a refrain, that when they chose to drink their first beer or smoke their first joint, they were actually choosing to throw their lives away, and that by the time they knew what was going on it was far too late.The only gang member of the group also spoke about how gangs and drugs replaced the stability, belonging, and love that is often otherwise missing from people's lives. He talked about how people used him, but he was now such a part of that system that he felt trapped.Again, the tone could have been a "scare-you-straight" experience, but it never went there. Instead, it was a day of prison guards and inmates baring their emotions and insights into an ongoing American tragedy.It was also mentioned by one of the prisoners that these questions were the 64 million dollar variety. The prisoners all wanted to stress that gateway drugs are exactly that, and that drugs and alcohol which started innocent enough turned ugly. They all had a refrain, that when they chose to drink their first beer or smoke their first joint, they were actually choosing to throw their lives away, and that by the time they knew what was going on it was far too late.The only gang member of the group also spoke about how gangs and drugs replaced the stability, belonging, and love that is often otherwise missing from people’s lives. He talked about how people used him, but he was now such a part of that system that he felt trapped.Again, the tone could have been a “scare-you-straight” experience, but it never went there. Instead, it was a day of prison guards and inmates baring their emotions and insights into an ongoing American tragedy.It was also mentioned by one of the prisoners that these questions were the 64 million dollar variety.

]]> By: The Mrs. http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html/comment-page-1#comment-8 The Mrs. Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:11:04 +0000 http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html#comment-8 What an interesting and insightful post. And, it seems like an amazing idea to take students to a prison, it's definitely a place we are in the dark about and I'm sure the kids gained a great deal of insight into a place and people they would probably never otherwise experience. What an interesting and insightful post. And, it seems like an amazing idea to take students to a prison, it’s definitely a place we are in the dark about and I’m sure the kids gained a great deal of insight into a place and people they would probably never otherwise experience.

]]> By: The Mrs. http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html/comment-page-1#comment-395 The Mrs. Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:11:00 +0000 http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html#comment-395 What an interesting and insightful post. And, it seems like an amazing idea to take students to a prison, it's definitely a place we are in the dark about and I'm sure the kids gained a great deal of insight into a place and people they would probably never otherwise experience. What an interesting and insightful post. And, it seems like an amazing idea to take students to a prison, it’s definitely a place we are in the dark about and I’m sure the kids gained a great deal of insight into a place and people they would probably never otherwise experience.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html/comment-page-1#comment-7 Anonymous Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:07:58 +0000 http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html#comment-7 What a great idea. Keep the school stories coming - it's interesting to see what others teachers do with their kids.<br/><br/>I'm wondering what (if anything) the prisoners said in response to how we can stop this cycle of incarceration. It's a great question without any simple answer.<br/><br/>-Clare What a great idea. Keep the school stories coming – it’s interesting to see what others teachers do with their kids.

I’m wondering what (if anything) the prisoners said in response to how we can stop this cycle of incarceration. It’s a great question without any simple answer.

-Clare

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html/comment-page-1#comment-394 Anonymous Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:07:00 +0000 http://www.dissectednews.com/2008/12/a-teachers-day-in-the-clink.html#comment-394 What a great idea. Keep the school stories coming - it's interesting to see what others teachers do with their kids.I'm wondering what (if anything) the prisoners said in response to how we can stop this cycle of incarceration. It's a great question without any simple answer.-Clare What a great idea. Keep the school stories coming – it’s interesting to see what others teachers do with their kids.I’m wondering what (if anything) the prisoners said in response to how we can stop this cycle of incarceration. It’s a great question without any simple answer.-Clare

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