San Quentin’s evening literacy program got a boost when California’s top prison administrator visited the prison to talk to inmates and volunteers who facilitate the program.
The program was set back when the 2009-10 budget slashed $205 million out of rehabilitation programs statewide, resulting in San Quentin’s Education Department losing about 25 educators, according to literacy coordinator Tom Bolema. The plan was to replace lost staff with prisoners. However, the plan has yet to be implemented.
The prisoners asked California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Matthew Cate to implement the plan by utilizing the skills and experience of prisoners, who already have achieved educational success, to tutor other prisoners. This will require creating additional inmate jobs. In addition, the prisoners told Cate that a more receptive environment for volunteers was needed, and that could be accomplished by building a stronger relationship between the San Quentin Education Department and the volunteers.
“I like what I hear, and I will go to Sacramento and present this to the governor,” said Cate.
He told the prisoners that the number one position of CDCR is public safety, and that prison-based education goes a long way in ensuring that goal.
Acting Warden Kevin Chappell indicated support for such a program.
Included in the meeting were Laura Bowman-Salzsieder, the community partnership manager; Jody Lewen, director of Prison University Project; and Carly Stair, an evening GED program volunteer. Each voiced support of the evening literacy program, indicating that earning a GED high school equivalency is an important step toward a higher education and reducing recidivism.