| Every teacher knows that when someone asks them | | | | probably not make the same mistakes again. Most |
| about what they do for a living, and they say; "I'm a | | | | folks do not you know the recidivism rates are way |
| teacher" well, they realize that there is a good chance | | | | too high in this country, it's a travesty." Throwing people |
| they will get a perception based response. Not long | | | | away makes no sense, unless they decide to throw |
| ago someone sent me an email and wanted to join | | | | themselves away and refuse to grow, many do, they'll |
| our Think Tank. We began discussing education and | | | | be back in prison. |
| he was quite articulate, well-read and had interesting | | | | Interestingly enough, I guess my experience in life was |
| viewpoints. | | | | much different although I too, did not enjoy school that |
| Later, I discovered he had gotten out of prison | | | | much. School was a bore to me, so I started a |
| (break-in residential burglary). He told me that he | | | | company at age 12, grew it, became class president, |
| missed going to school and had signed up for | | | | most likely to succeed and very involved in sports, I |
| community college courses. He said; "My teachers | | | | guess it kept me in game in HS. Although detached |
| were Stephen Hawking, Einstein, Confucius, Joseph | | | | somewhat, still got high grades. It sure seemed like a |
| Campbell, Plato, and Aristotle." Apparently, he had | | | | prison to me, school holds you back, it's too slow, the |
| spent much of his time in the Prison Library? | | | | social aspect is okay, but it's a facade, a baby-sitting |
| Well, I told him; "It sounds like you screwed up royally | | | | routine. It's amazing it works so well, as our nation has |
| and yet adapted to your situation nicely and | | | | come so far, mostly because of education, so it's not |
| recovered. Congratulations, adversity builds character!" | | | | all bad, but yes, we lose people, we fail to see |
| Not sure what else I could say. I told him; "Now you | | | | potential, we can do better, much better. |
| can plan your future knowing all you know and | | | | |