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Two Wrongs
By Wayne Trotter, The Tecumseh Countywide News
WINNING EDITORIAL — December 2002
Two wrongs never make a right, they say, and tecumseh stands as proof of that this week. Neither the Absentee Shawnee Tribe nor the City of Tecumseh handled this contentious casino question reasonably and the effects may be felt for years to come. It's now up to sensible leaders on both sides to mmake certain that doesn't happen and the wounds aren't lasting.
Let's start with the Absentee Shawnee Tribe as Heavy No. 1 in this real-life drama. We understand the structures the Absentee Shawnees hae regarding trust land and have suspected for some time their sheepskin, the ceremony at BJCC continues to be respectful and well organized.
Inmates who've been given a second (and sometimes first) chance to turn their lives around, walk with pride, shoes shined to a glisten, listening intently to some of the most inspirational speakers available. Repeatedly they are told, "this is not the end of your education, it's the beginning."
This annual ceremony showcases the success of both the education and corrections systems. Men whose lives are seemingly doomed to repeated failure understand that through structure and discipline, learning and succeeding are possible.
Those who've often had dismal educational experiences in the past, cheer and applaud their teachers who've patiently helped them believe they can learn…and then prove them correct by learning.
Families from all socioeconomic levels attending the ceremony beam with the same pride as parents whose offspring graduate from the finest educational institution.
If you're ever privileged to attend one of these graduations, pay close attention to the printed program.
The back page is filled with scores of names of men who came to BJCC testing educationally below fifth grade levels. After intensive study, they promote to the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program where they are nurtured along until they are able to reach the high school level.
Another 7-100 inmates will be listed as those promoted to the GED (ninth grade and above) level. Sometimes, the same names will appear on both of these lists and again in the graduates' list.
The importance of these lists sometimes escapes the casual observer. These men usually spend only 18 months at Bill Johnson's. Yet because distractions are limited, individual instruction is provided, and expectations are high, these men learn and advance at rapid rates.
At every graduation, there are several names with specialsymbols designating their acceptance into the 300 club. That means those graduates have scored in the highest percentile possible for this test, feat not easily accomplished, educators' say.
One inmate told our publisher this week that he previously was a trustee with privileges at the Garfield County Jail. While admitting his life was somewhat more difficult here, he commented that in his nine months at BJCC, his life had changed dramatically.
At BJCC this inmate has learned to control his anger through anger management classes, learned self-discipline and to establish values through the MRT program, and continued his education.
"Here, I've turned my life around," the inmate said. "There I was just on storage."
Next time you're tempted to grumble about the cost of prisons or their ineffectiveness, or their threat to our community, arrange a visit to BJCC. You might just be surprised.
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