IDOC Director On Book Removal: Lack Of Policy, Oversight At State Prisons

[SummerMadness]

IDOC Director On Book Removal: Lack Of Policy, Oversight At State Prisons

The new director of the Illinois Department of Corrections said during a legislative hearing in Chicago on Monday that the agency plans to revise its policy regarding what books can and cannot enter the prison.

State lawmakers hosted the hearing after Illinois Newsroom reported that Danville Correctional Center officials had removed more than 200 books from a college in prison program’s library inside the facility earlier this year. The books were part of the Education Justice Project’s library — that’s a program that offers University of Illinois classes to men inside the Danville prison.

 

[Dave-W]

Disgusting.

I thought we were long past the days of book burning and banning. Apparently that was a misconception

That is as UNdemocratic as you can get.

 

[SummerMadness]

Disgusting.

I thought we were long past the days of book burning and banning. Apparently that was a misconception

That is as UNdemocratic as you can get.

It's understandable that some books are not allowed in prison, like a bomb making book, but the bans banning anything mentioning race, African American history, was created to control black prisoners, who were often arrested and sentenced to forced prison labor. Controlling their access to books about black people is about preventing them from getting an education because they want black inmates to be docile, it's no different than the bans on reading to keep blacks from being literate.

 

[Dave-W]

It's understandable that some books are not allowed in prison, like a bomb making book, but the bans banning anything mentioning race, African American history, was created to control black prisoners, who were often arrested and sentenced to forced prison labor. Controlling their access to books about black people is about preventing them from getting an education because they want black inmates to be docile, it's no different than the bans on reading to keep blacks from being literate.

I kind of understand your first point, but have to disagree. I am a "small d" democrat and am in favor of full access to information. So I would not ban a bomb making book. Nor would I ban a book I read in my highschool library: "How to make an atomic bomb in your kitchen sink."

On the part of banning books on race, I am in complete agreement with you. the better educated all people are, the better off we all are.

 

[SummerMadness]

I kind of understand your first point, but have to disagree. I am a "small d" democrat and am in favor of full access to information. So I would not ban a bomb making book. Nor would I ban a book I read in my highschool library: "How to make an atomic bomb in your kitchen sink."

On the part of banning books on race, I am in complete agreement with you. the better educated all people are, the better off we all are.

Perhaps bombmaking is not such a huge concern, but I don't think books like "Shanks R Us" should be allowed in prison (I know, a title I made up ). I think there is legitimate concern about safety, but there need to be clear limits on what is meant by safety. Black people learning about history and becoming more knowledgeable about racism in America should not be deemed a safety threat. As for books outside prison walls, come one, come all!

 

[Dave-W]

Black people learning about history and becoming more knowledgeable about racism in America should not be deemed a safety threat.

Quoted because that needs to be repeated.

Amen and amen.

BTW, I found your title "Shanks R Us" to be