ANNOUNCER: PREVIOUSLY ON "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS"...

THERE'S THINGS THAT GO ON IN THERE THAT HE DOESN'T TALK ABOUT.

BARLEY: I TOLD HIM LIKE, "TELL MOMMY YOU WANT TO COME VISIT."

THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I SPOKE TO HIM.

MONTGOMERY: IT'S HARD BEING IN HERE AND LOSING SOMEBODY.

TATRO: I DIDN'T WANT TO BE SOME TYPE OF POSTER BOY FOR, LIKE, "LOOK AT WHAT PRISON CAN DO FOR YOU."

IT'S NOT WHAT PRISON'S DOING FOR YOU.

THIS IS WHAT EDUCATION IS DOING FOR YOU.

TAMIKA GRAHAM: JUST BECAUSE I'M IN PRISON DOESN'T MEAN THAT I SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL.

SONYA GRAHAM: MY DAUGHTER GOT A FREE DIPLOMA WHEN I HAVE TO PAY FOR MY OTHER KIDS TO GO TO SCHOOL.

ANNOUNCER: AND NOW THE CONCLUSION OF "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS."

ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS" WAS PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE BETTER ANGELS SOCIETY.

JOHN AND CATHERINE DEBS, THE SCHWARTZ/REISMAN FOUNDATION, THE COUSINS FOUNDATION, THE ABRAMS FOUNDATION, TED DINTERSMITH AND ELIZABETH HAZARD, THE McCLOSKEY FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST.

FUNDING WAS ALSO PROVIDED BY: THE FORD FOUNDATION JUSTFILMS AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES; BY MEG AND TOMAS BERGSTRAND; REGINA K. SCULLY; THE LISE STRICKLER AND MARK GALLOGLY CHARITABLE FUND; PATTY QUILLIN; AND BY THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDERS.

AND BY GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] [GATE OPENS] [INDISTINCT P.A.

ANNOUNCEMENTS] SEBASTIAN YOON: FOR PRISONERS, FREEDOM EXISTS IN FRAGMENTS.

BECAUSE WHEN I'M WRITING ESSAYS OR WHEN I'M READING BOOKS, I GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF TUNNEL VISUAL THING, RIGHT.

THE WALLS, THEY DISAPPEAR, THEY DISSIPATE.

AND I'M IN MY ZONE, AND I'M READING ABOUT KIERKEGAARD, I'M LEARNING ABOUT HISTORY, MEMORY.

AND I BECOME FREE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [LIGHTS BUZZING] ♪ MAN ON P.A.

: ATTENTION, ALL INMATES.

LINE UP ON THE WHITE LINE FOR THE COUNT.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] [CHAINS RATTLING] HERNANDEZ: FREEDOM PRESUPPOSES BEING FREE.

SO IT'S JUST--I SEE THE REDUNDANCY.

I GUESS THEY HAD ALL THESE CONSTRAINTS, RIGHT?

WHERE THEY COULDN'T ASSERT A FREEDOM IN THEIR ART FORM, RIGHT.

THEY HAD TO ABIDE BY CERTAIN CONVENTIONS, BY CERTAIN PRINCIPLES, RIGHT, CERTAIN IDEAS OF WHAT ART IS AND HOW YOU WRITE POETRY, RIGHT, WHAT POETRY IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE.

MENGERT: GIOVANNIE HAD ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN ART AND THE WORK OF FRANK O'HARA, AND SOMEHOW THESE TWO THINGS DOVETAILED AND STARTED READING BOOKS THAT I WASN'T READING UNTIL I WAS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL.

HERNANDEZ: I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THAT KID THAT CAN SIT IN FRONT OF A PAINTING AND JUST ADMIRE IT BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL ABOUT IT EVEN IF I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW, I COULDN'T ARTICULATE WHAT IT WAS.

THERE'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE SOME JACKSON POLLOCK.

I LOVE A LOT OF JACKSON POLLOCK'S WORK.

IT'S SORT OF THE CONTRADICTION BETWEEN THE FACT THAT IT SEEMS CHAOTIC, BUT THERE'S A LOGIC TO IT, THERE'S A CERTAIN SENSE AND INTENTION.

♪ BELTRAN: WHAT SHE'S LOOKING AT IS THE PRE-COLONIAL BODY, RIGHT, THE MOMENTS BEFORE SHE SUFFERED THIS TRAUMA.

AND THAT'S WHAT HER NOSTALGIA IS FOR, 'CAUSE HOW COULD YOU WANT A PLACE THAT DID THIS TO YOU?

EXACTLY.

AND SO FROM THAT I REALLY BEGAN TO WRESTLE, OR AT LEAST GET A CLEARER IDEA OF WHAT HER NOSTALGIA WAS REALLY ABOUT.

WOMAN: THE PROJECTS HERE TEND TO BE PERSONAL, BUT MUCH MORE ACADEMIC.

IT'S LIKE TEACHING GRADUATE STUDENTS IN SOME WAYS MORE THAN UNDERGRADUATES.

SO THAT THE CONVERSATIONS, SAY, THAT I HAVE WITH ELIAS IS NOT THE SAME CONVERSATION I'LL HAVE WITH A 21-YEAR-OLD SENIOR AT BARD.

IT'S ALSO THIS LONGING FOR ONE'S BEGINNINGS, RIGHT?

WOW, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE WORDS ARE ACTUALLY STITCHED, THROUGH DIAZ'S BOOK, BECAUSE LOLA'S CONSTANTLY WAITING TO BEGIN.

RIGHT.

YOU KNOW?

SO, OK, THAT IS REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING.

BELTRAN: I CAME TO PRISON WHEN I WAS 16.

I CAN'T UNDO THE 20 SOME ODD YEARS THAT I'VE SPENT IN HERE.

I WOULD NEVER FOR THE LIFE OF ME WANT TO SEE ANOTHER 16-YEAR-OLD KID THROW HIS LIFE AWAY.

IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO, IF I COULD SIT IN YOUR PLACE RIGHT NOW AND SHOW YOU, LOOK, THIS IS YOU IN 26 YEARS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE DETOUR.

MY NEPHEW MICHAEL WAS KIND OF WOBBLING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

THERE A MOMENT WHEN MY SISTER AND I WERE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT HE WAS GONNA BECOME, AND I CHALLENGED HIM.

YOU KNOW, I CHALLENGED HIM.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES THAT LOOK AT THE OUTCOME OF WHAT THOSE DECISIONS ARE.

I ASKED HIM TO DO THIS THING-- GO IN THE BATHROOM THAT NIGHT.

TAKE YOUR MUSIC PLAYER, TAKE A COUPLE OF BOOKS, MAKE THE BATHTUB YOUR BED, AND THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THAT'S WHERE I LIVE.

THAT'S WHERE I'VE LIVED FOR THESE PAST 26 YEARS.

HE NEEDED TO SEE.

AND I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO MY SISTER AND SHE WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HE CAME OUT OF THE BATHROOM AND HE SAID, "MOM, I CAN'T DO IT.

I CAN'T LIVE IN A BATHROOM."

AND HE GOT HIMSELF TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WHERE HE REDIRECTED HIS LIFE.

AND HE WENT ON TO GET HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CHILD PSYCHOLOGY.

[SCHOOL BELL RINGS] PROFESSOR: WHAT OF THIS DATA MIGHT BE USEFUL IF WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE OF THESE IS THE BEST ONE TO START LOOKING AT FIRST, TO DO MORE WORK ON?

MAN: WE COULD LOOK AT THE ACTUAL SEQUENCE TO SEE WHAT AMINO ACIDS DO COMPRISE THAT LENGTH.

SO THE COURSE IS CALLED "GENETICS AND EVOLUTION."

IT'S A 200-LEVEL COURSE THAT I ACTUALLY TEACH AT THE MAIN CAMPUS IN ANNANDALE AS WELL.

THIS PARTICULAR GROUP OF GUYS HAVE NOW TAKEN 3 COURSES PRIOR TO THIS AND WERE VERY ANXIOUS TO TAKE THE COURSE THAT THE STUDENTS AT BARD TAKE.

AND I'M TEACHING IT IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, USING THE SAME READINGS, GOING AT THE SAME PACE.

THERE'S ALMOST THIS PALPABLE SENSE OF URGENCY.

THEY WANT AS MUCH AS THEY CAN AS FAST AS THEY CAN GET IT.

AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SENSE THAT TOMORROW THIS COULD ALL BE TAKEN AWAY.

TATRO: THIS SEMESTER I'M PRESENTING ON A PAPER THAT DEALS WITH THE ROLE OF KERATINS WITHIN EUKARYOTIC CELLS, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN EPITHELIAL CELLS.

WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS THE EXACT ROLE OF KERATINS IN RELATION TO CELL STIFFNESS, TO CELL DEFORMABILITIES.

AND YOU'RE USING PHOTONS TO DEFORM CELLS.

AND THIS BECOMES RELEVANT BECAUSE HOW STIFF YOUR CELLS ARE PLAYS A PART IN INVASIVENESS AND PROLIFERATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE CANCER.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, EDUCATION IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TOTALLY DEDICATED MYSELF TO.

HOW DO I, LIKE, COMMUNICATE THE IMPACT THAT EDUCATION IS HAVING ON ME?

LIKE, THIS IS NOT JUST LIKE GETTING A DEGREE.

THIS IS CHANGING FUNDAMENTALLY THE WAY I THINK, I BEHAVE, THE WAY I INTERACT WITH PEOPLE.

MY BROTHER DOESN'T HAVE THAT, RIGHT?

HE DOESN'T HAVE THE CREDENTIALS THAT I WILL HAVE.

THERE'S ALWAYS SOME TYPE OF DISCONNECT.

I'M INSTITUTIONALIZED OFF THE RIP.

LIKE, IF I SEE SOMEONE LIKE LOOKING AT ME FOR TOO LONG, LIKE, I'M LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?"

LIKE, I GET AGGRESSIVE, LIKE, WITH PEOPLE, LIKE.

I'M ALWAYS, LIKE, LOOKING IN MY REARVIEW MIRRORS.

DYJUAN TATRO: IT'S HARD ALWAYS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY BROTHER.

SO I CALL HIM UP, I'M LIKE, "WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING?"

LIKE, "TELL ME SOMETHING REAL."

LIKE, "STOP RAPPING.

STOP TELLING ME ABOUT THE STRIP CLUB."

LIKE, HE'S TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR THAT TIME.

I'M LIKE, "YO, THERE IS NO MAKING UP.

THAT TIME IS GONE."

[CELLPHONE RINGS] KANAN: HELLO?

YOU KNOW I BEEN DUCKING YOU LATELY, YOU HEARD?

YEAH.

BECAUSE I'M HIDING FROM YOU.

HA HA HA!

LIKE, NAH I BEEN-- YO, LISTEN, I BEEN SEEING YOUR PHONE CALLS, BUT I'VE BEEN LIKE, WOW, BUSY LATELY.

LIKE, I CAN'T-- BUSY TO THE FACT WHERE I CAN'T EVEN PICK UP THE PHONE.

SO-- I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW I'M LIVING, LIKE I REALLY CAN'T.

LIKE, ON THE VISIT I CAN.

LIKE, REALLY HOW IT'S REALLY GOING DOWN, BUT LIKE RIGHT NOW, NO, WE CAN'T.

WE CAN'T DO THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT BEING IN THE CLUB, IT'S LIKE--IT'S A MOVIE.

LIKE, WE IN THE CLUB, BRO SPENT $30,000 ON A SECTION FOR 4 HOURS.

YOU--YOU--YOU...

YES, OK, SO GIVE ME-- I LOVE YOU, TOO.

[DIAL TONE] THAT'S A PRETTY NORMAL CONVERSATION--HIM CALLING, YELLING AT ME OR ME DUCKING HIS CALL OR HIM CALLING ME, "OH, I NEED THIS.

I NEED THAT."

I PASSED MY TIME WORKING OUT, READING, AND POLITICS.

LIKE, IF IT WAS SOMETHING NEGATIVE IN THE PRISON GOING ON, I WAS IN.

NOTHING LIKE DYJUAN.

LIKE, DYJUAN, HE'S ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT KIND OF TIME.

HE'S INTO THE BOOKS AND STUFF.

I WASN'T INTO NONE OF THAT.

SO WE JUST TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

REGISTER: SO WE'RE GONNA PRACTICE FRAMING THE DEBATE FOR THE JUDGES, LIKE HOW THEY SHOULD SEE THE BURDENS OF THE PROPOSITION IN THIS DEBATE SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THEY HAVE TO DEBATE OUR MATERIAL, AND THEN WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR ANY EVENTUALITY.

EVERYBODY WHO'S UP THERE NEEDS TO BE A QUICK DECISION-MAKER AND THINK LIKE, "OK, IT'S THIS.

I KNOW WHAT TO DO IN THIS SITUATION."

I WANT THEM TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO, AND THEN BE ABLE TO ADAPT IN THE MOMENT AND MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS, RIGHT.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE SAYING WHAT I WANT THEM TO SAY.

THEY SHOULD BE SAYING WHAT THEY NEED TO SAY IN THE MOMENT TO WIN.

IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WE'RE GONNA BE DEBATING HARVARD.

THE TOPIC IS PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DENY ADMISSION TO UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE TO ARGUE THAT THAT'S THE CASE.

WE'VE BEEN SPENDING THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS FIGURING THIS OUT.

WE GOT TO HAVE A HARD CORNER TO ARGUE FROM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE TO SAY THAT IMMIGRATION'S A PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW, NOT THAT THE CHILDREN THEMSELVES ARE A PROBLEM, BUT WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS, AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S ANY OTHER DEFENSIBLE WAY TO ARGUE THIS POSITION.

SO, WE GOT TO TIGHTEN IT OUT WITHOUT HAVING TO SOUND LIKE TRUMP.

IT WAS REALLY LIKE A TEAM EFFORT.

MAN: SO, LET ME ASK YOU GUYS, REAL QUICKLY, STRATEGICALLY, WHAT IS THE WEAK POINT THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR ARGUMENT?

HERNANDEZ: IT SEEMED LIKE WHEN YOU WEREN'T IN CLASS DOING YOUR WORK, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE DEBATE.

IT IS THE CREATION OF AN EVEN LARGER PROBLEM.

THE ONLY VIABLE SOLUTION AT OUR DISPOSAL IS TO GRANT LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS THE ABILITY TO DENY.

DURING THE 1970s AND EIGHTIES, THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK 13 YEAR OLDS, LOW-INCOME STUDENTS DROPPED OUT AT RATES 5 TIMES HIGHER THAN THAT OF THEIR HIGHER INCOME COUNTERPARTS.

BOLEY: HOW WE GONNA PROVE THAT WE SHOULD-- PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN AMERICA SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DENY UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS?

IT'S A CHALLENGE, RIGHT.

IF WE WIN THAT ARGUMENT, WE'D REALLY WIN.

HYLTON: YEAH, YEAH.

IF WE LOSE, THAT'S TWO LOSSES IN A ROW.

HYLTON: YEAH, WE CAN'T HAVE THAT.

IT'S GOOD TO BE ON THE STAGE WITH HARVARD, BUT IT'S MUCH BETTER TO BE ON THE STAGE WITH HARVARD AND WIN.

WELCOME TO EASTERN CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.

ANNA.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

SPIVEY-JONES: WE'RE HANDICAPPED IN TWO WAYS.

WE HAVE A HARVARD TEAM THAT IS EXPERIENCED, VERY EXPERIENCED.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON THE STAGE WHO THIS IS-- THIS IS THEIR FIRST TIME ON THE STAGE DEBATING.

AND DEFENDING THIS MOTION IS ANOTHER HANDICAP.

SO WE HAVE A STEEP CLIMB.

REGISTER: FIRST, I WANT TO INTRODUCE THE CHAIR FOR THIS DEBATE IS MARY NUGENT.

MARY IS THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF CAMBRIDGE UNION.

SHE HAS TWICE JUDGED THE FINAL ROUND IN THE WORLD'S UNIVERSITIES DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

GLAD THAT SHE'S RETURNING HERE.

WE'RE WELCOMING, FOR THE FIRST TIME, STEVEN PENNER.

HE WAS A CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPION REPRESENTING THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO.

HE WAS A QUARTER FINALIST AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS.

I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME, FOR THE FIRST TIME, LINDSAY BING.

LINDSAY IS CURRENTLY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FORENSICS AT CORNELL.

SHE WAS A FINALIST AT THE U.S.

UNIVERSITIES DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIPS, AMONG MANY, MANY OTHER THINGS THAT SHE'S DONE.

MAN: I DIDN'T REALIZE WHO THE JUDGING PANEL WAS GOING TO BE IN ADVANCE.

I MEAN, LIKE MARY NUGENT, STEVE PENNER WERE TWO OR THREE JUDGES, BOTH LIKE REALLY BIG NAMES IN THE DEBATE COMMUNITY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, NAMES THAT I HAD HEARD TOSSED AROUND BEFORE.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT UNTIL WE GOT HERE TODAY.

POLANCO: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TODAY WE'RE HERE TO DEBATE A VERY SERIOUS TOPIC THAT DEALS WITH OUR UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN.

THEY CURRENTLY FIND THEMSELVES TRAPPED AT THE NEXUS OF TWO DYSFUNCTIONAL SYSTEMS-- OUR NATION'S IMMIGRATION LAW AND PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

THERE'S ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY COST TO NOT EDUCATING THESE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS.

AS IS WELL KNOWN, THERE IS A HUGE TIE BETWEEN EDUCATION AND INCOME IN THE FUTURE.

STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE EARN $10,300 LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.

THE RESULT OF THIS IS A HIGH COST TO SOCIETY AS THESE STUDENTS ARE ESSENTIALLY FORCED INTO A CYCLE OF UNEMPLOYMENT, CRIME, AND POVERTY.

WE CANNOT CONTROL THE INFLUX INTO OUR CLASSROOMS.

WHY?

BECAUSE THE ONLY CLASSROOMS THE STATUS QUO BELIEVES ARE FIT FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS ARE THE ONES IN POOR DISTRICTS THAT ARE OVERCROWDED AND FAILING RIGHT NOW.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THERE'S ONE COMMON THREAD STITCHED THROUGHOUT THIS DEBATE-- THE PRACTICE OF WAREHOUSING STUDENTS IN OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS ULTIMATELY RESULTS IN LOW GRADES, HIGH DROPOUT RATES, AND FAILING SCORES.

WE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD TURN INTO AN EDUCATIONAL REFORM DEBATE.

SO WE WEREN'T AS PREPARED FOR THAT.

YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK FRAMING IT THAT WAY KIND OF MEANT THAT WE SORT OF HAD TO RETHINK OUR, YOU KNOW, APPROACH TO ARGUING AGAINST THEIR CASE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE SPOT, SO THAT WAS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE.

SESSOMS-HALL: WHAT MAKES THESE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS SO DIFFERENT FROM OTHER STUDENTS AND WHY THEY DON'T DESERVE THIS RIGHT TO EDUCATION?

IT WOULD JUST MEAN MORE ADOLESCENTS STANDING AROUND IDLY WITH LIMITED SKILLS, LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR SITUATIONS, WHICH THEN CREATES RIPE CONDITIONS FOR INCREASED GANG ACTIVITY AND CRIME.

TATRO: FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETELY DODGED THE FACT THAT IS CENTRAL IN THIS ISSUE-- IN THIS DEBATE, THAT THESE CHILDREN END UP IN POOR SCHOOLS.

INDEED, THEY WENT ON TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE CHILDREN IN A VERY NEGATIVE MANNER.

THESE CHILDREN, IF WE DO NOT LET THEM IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WILL END UP AS CRIMINALS.

THEY WILL END UP IN PRISON SOMEDAY.

THEY WILL FAIL IN LIFE.

LET ME POINT OUT, THIS IS NOT-- THIS WILL NOT RESULT FROM OUR PROPOSAL.

THIS RESULTS FROM THE WAY THINGS ARE NOW.

AS OF 2013, THE MAJORITY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS COME FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.

SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE MAJORITY OF UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS COME FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.

LOW-INCOME STUDENTS DROP OUT AT RATES 5 TIMES HIGHER THAN THEIR HIGHER INCOME COUNTERPARTS.

HARVARD, TELL ME THIS-- HOW DO WE REDUCE CLASS SIZE IN THE FACE OF THE CURRENT INFLUX OF UNDOCUMENTED CHILDREN IN DISTRICTS ALREADY SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS?

TO END, IF YOU SAY NO TO DENIAL, YOU SAY YES TO SEGREGATED, FAILING SCHOOLS, YES, TO OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS.

YES, TO UNDER-ACHIEVING STUDENTS, YES, TO DROPOUT FACTORIES, INADEQUATE FACILITIES, AND A SET OF CONVOLUTED PRACTICES THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE EDUCATED.

SO THE OPPOSITION HAS SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THE HUGE BENEFITS OF EDUCATING MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY, EVEN IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE UNDOCUMENTED.

SO THERE CERTAINLY ARE ISSUES WITH THE WAY SCHOOLS ARE FUNDING AND THE STATUS QUO, I'M NOT GOING TO DENY THAT BY ANY MEANS.

BUT I THINK IT'S WORSE WE DON'T EVEN GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO TRY TO GET ANY FORM OF EDUCATION.

I THINK THAT 0% OF THEM WILL BE GOING TO COLLEGE, AND I THINK THAT'S MUCH WORSE.

ON THE CONTRARY, WE ACTUALLY SEE THAT THERE'S INCREDIBLE BENEFIT TO SORT OF GIVING THESE PEOPLE A PLACE IN OUR SOCIETY AND GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO WORK HARD, TO BRING THEIR IDEAS, TO BRING THEIR SKILLS, AND TO BRING THEIR WORK ETHIC TO OUR COUNTRY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE] REGISTER: WE'RE NOW GOING TO HAVE THE JUDGES ADJOURN FOR A FEW MINUTES TO MAKE A DECISION.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS] SO I JUST, ON BEHALF OF THE JUDGING PANEL, WANT THANK THE DEBATERS FOR WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A REALLY EXCEPTIONAL DEBATE.

THIS IS THE THIRD BPI DEBATE I'VE GOT TO SEE, AND I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY THE BEST SO FAR.

THESE DEBATERS WOULD NOT BE OUT OF PLACE IN A COMPETITIVE COMPETITION, AND SO IT'S REALLY--IT'S A PLEASURE TO WATCH THIS.

SO I'M GONNA GIVE THE DECISION, AND THEN I'M GONNA EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, AND IF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS, THEY'RE WELCOME TO ASK THEM.

SO WE WERE SPLIT AS A JUDGING PANEL.

THERE WERE 3 JUDGES, AND IT WAS A 2-1 SPLIT.

AND THE 2-1 SPLIT WAS IN FAVOR OF BARD.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ♪ NEWS ANCHOR: WORD IS SPREADING ABOUT AN UNEXPECTED LOSS SUFFERED BY THE PRESTIGIOUS HARVARD DEBATE TEAM.

THEY LOST NOT TO YALE OR PRINCETON, BUT TO THE DEBATE TEAM FROM THE EASTERN NEW YORK MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON.

REPORTER: HARVARD'S DEBATE TEAM LICKING ITS WOUNDS THIS MORNING.

IT JUST LOST TO A TEAM OF PRISONERS.

OOH.

HARVARD.

TATRO: BEING IN THE DEBATE, PEOPLE WOULD COME UP TO ME IN THE YARD, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PRISON, PEOPLE JUST DO NOT WALK UP ON YOU.

SO I'M LOOKING UP, LIKE, YO, WHY IS THIS DUDE COMING THIS WAY?

HE'S LIKE, "YO, I SEEN YOU ON TV."

OR, "I SEEN YOU IN THE PAPER.

GOOD JOB."

I HAVE HAD GUARDS COME TO MY CELL AND BE LIKE, "OH, MY GOD.

HERE YOU ARE.

I JUST SEEN EVERY--YOU'RE ALL OVER THE INTERNET."

HYLTON: ONE OF MY FRIENDS, HE SAID, "YOU IN BARD, RIGHT?"

SO HE SAID, "ARE YOU ON THAT DEBATE TEAM?"

HE SAID, "LISTEN, YOU NEED TO GET IN THE DEBATE TEAM "BECAUSE, LISTEN, MY GIRL TOLD ME THERE'S "WOMEN ON THE INTERNET, THEY WANT TO WRITE YOU GUYS.

THEY WANT TO--LISTEN, THEY SAYING ALL TYPE OF STUFF."

SO THAT WAS-- THAT WAS KIND OF FUNNY.

SNYDER: I WAS IMPRESSED BY THEM.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY GLITCHES.

THEY WERE DEFINITELY EXCELLENT DEBATERS, AND I THINK THEY GONNA GO A LONG WAY IN LIFE, AND I HOPE THAT THEY DO.

TATRO: YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.

LIKE, WHERE WOULD I BE TODAY IF I HAD BEEN DOING WHAT THEY ARE DOING AT THAT AGE?

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

IT'S LIKE IF I HAD BEEN ABLE TO GET UP THERE AND ARTICULATE MYSELF LIKE THAT, IF I HAD BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO HARVARD, WHERE WOULD I BE TODAY?

YOU'D BE AT HARVARD.

[LAUGHS] [SCHOOL BELL RINGS] [INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER] ♪ YOON: I GREW UP IN PRISON.

THIS IS MY HOME, IN A SAD SENSE.

MY DAD, HE BLAMES HIMSELF FOR MY HAVING COME TO PRISON BECAUSE HE SAYS, "IF I HAD SPENT TIME WITH YOU, "I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD BE IN PRISON.

SO FORGIVE ME."

MY DAD WAS ALWAYS AT WORK.

SO THE KIDS THAT I GREW UP STARTED CALLING AND SAYING, "HEY, LET'S HANG OUT."

IN FLUSHING, YOU GET INTO FIGHTS.

IT'S NOT A NICE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND WE WERE WINNING FIGHTS.

ONE DAY A FIGHT ERUPTED.

I JUST REMEMBER IT WAS CHAOS, RIGHT, JUST BODIES FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER WE LEFT, WE FOUND OUT THAT SOMEBODY DIED.

AND MY HEART JUST DROPPED.

AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I REALIZED A FIGHT CAN BE A HUGE DEAL.

IT CAN DESTROY SOMEONE'S LIFE.

IT DESTROYED BOTH THE VICTIM'S LIFE IN A SENSELESS DEATH AND IT DESTROYED MY LIFE.

I WAS CHARGED FOR MANSLAUGHTER.

AND GOD KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS I MIGHT HAVE TO DO.

THE DEGREE OF HOPELESSNESS WAS SO DEEP AT THAT POINT, RIGHT, BECAUSE I IMAGINED MYSELF COMING OUT OF PRISON AS AN OLD MAN WITH NOTHING.

AND I DON'T TELL PEOPLE THIS, BUT I TRIED TO KILL MYSELF WHEN I WAS 16.

I WAITED FOR THE OFFICERS TO WALK THROUGH THEIR MIDNIGHT WALK, AND I WAITED 30 EXTRA MINUTES.

I TOOK MY BED SHEETS, I WRAPPED IT AROUND THE CEILING LIGHT.

AND I REMEMBER STANDING THERE TREMBLING.

LET ME TELL YOU, I COULDN'T DO IT.

WHY?

BECAUSE ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS MY FATHER AT THAT MOMENT.

I SAID, "IF I KILL MYSELF, I'M GOING TO KILL MY FATHER."

AND AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES, I JUST REMOVED THE BED SHEETS FROM MY NECK, AND I JUST SOBBED.

AND I SAID I HAVE TO FIND A REASON TO LIVE IN PRISON.

WHEN I SPEAK TO MY FATHER, I DON'T TELL HIM THAT I GOT TWO YEARS AND A HALF LEFT.

I TELL MY DAD, "DAD I GOT 5 MONTHS LEFT."

TWO AND A HALF YEARS TO MY RELEASE, YEAH, BUT 5 MONTHS TO MY GRADUATION, BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A HUGE STEPPING STONE THAT IN ITSELF IT'S A GOAL, A HUGE GOAL.

AND RIGHT NOW ALL I SEE IS THAT LINE, RIGHT.

THAT TWO YEARS, I'M NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT.

RIGHT NOW I NEED TO MAKE GRADUATION WITHOUT GETTING IN TROUBLE.

HERNANDEZ: I SPENT A LOT OF, LIKE, THE EARLY YEARS OF MY INCARCERATION GETTING IN LOTS OF TROUBLE.

BUT I HAVEN'T HAD A FIGHT SINCE 2009.

AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THAT.

I WALKED INTO THE ARMORY AND NOTICE THAT THERE WAS LIKE A REALLY LARGE CROWD AND SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY WAS GOING ON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CROWD.

SO I DECIDED, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TURN AROUND AND BEGIN TO WALK OUT.

I FEEL SOMEONE COME AND PUNCH ME FROM BEHIND ON THE SIDE OF MY FACE.

AND MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS LIKE, SOMEBODY JUST HIT ME.

I HAD TWO CHOICES.

I EITHER FIGHT BACK OR I JUST STAND THERE AND LET THIS GUY BEAT UP ON ME.

AND THE VERY NEXT THING I CLEARLY REMEMBER IS HIM ON THE FLOOR AND ME HOLDING HIM STILL WITH ONE HAND AND PUNCHING HIM IN THE FACE WITH THE OTHER.

IT'S SAD TO SAY LIKE I WASN'T IN CONTROL OF THAT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THEY TOOK, LIKE SHOOK MY CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF.

AND I ACTUALLY KNOW THIS GUY.

HE ATTACKED ME FROM BEHIND BECAUSE HE THOUGHT I WAS SOMEONE ELSE.

THEY GAVE ME 35 DAYS SHU TIME, 60 DAYS LOSS OF COMMISSARY, PACKAGE, AND PHONE PRIVILEGES.

I HAD A 101 DAYS LEFT TO GO HOME WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

RIGHT?

I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING MY SENIOR PROJECT.

THEY TOOK ALL MY SCHOOLBOOKS.

THEY TOOK ALL MY SCHOOLWORK.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 6 YEARS OF PAPERS AND MONTHS OF SENIOR PROJECT-- NOTES, WORK, HANDOUTS, THINGS I'VE READ.

AND NOBODY KNOWS WHERE IT'S AT.

THE WORK BASICALLY I HAVE TO DO ALL OVER AGAIN.

ON TOP OF THE FACT YOU'RE BANNING ME FROM THE SCHOOL BUILDING.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME.

♪ ♪ NOW, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES, A LOT OF US SEE PATRIOTISM IN THIS MANNER HERE.

AND SOMETIMES WE MISS OUT ON THIS PART OF OUR PATRIOTIC DUTIES.

JERGENS: RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT IN THE SEMESTER, THE STUDENTS ARE DOING INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATIONS ON THE RESEARCH THAT THEY HAVE DONE SO FAR.

HYLTON: IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, THEN WE HAVE TO TARGET RACIAL SUBJUGATION AND GENDER INEQUALITY.

AND SO, THAT'S HOW WOMEN'S RIGHTS WERE DEVELOPED WITHIN THE ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENT.

AT THIS MOMENT, I WANT YOU GUYS TO TAKE A MOMENT, RIGHT, AND REMEMBER WORLD WAR II.

FOR EXAMPLE, GOVERNMENT NARRATIVES, RIGHT, TEXTBOOK NARRATIVES, AND POPULAR CULTURE SUCH AS MEDIA, MOVIES.

THERE'S A WAY IN WHICH HISTORY IS EXISTING IN THE PRESENT.

SO WHY DO WE NEED EMMETT TILL AND MICHAEL BROWN?

WHY NOT JUST ONE OR THE OTHER?

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK EMMETT TILL, THE LYNCHING OF EMMETT TILL, IT SERVES AS THE PERFECT METAPHOR, AT THE VERY LEAST, TO EXPLAIN THE KIND OF ERASURE THAT HAPPENS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.

HE WAS 11 YEARS OLD?

15 YEARS OLD.

15 YEARS OLD, YEAH.

HE WAS A KID.

YEAH.

HE WAS A BABY.

SO, THAT'S ONE-- I THINK CHAPTER 3 ADDS TO THE ARGUMENT IN THAT WAY.

OK.

I WAS DELIGHTED WHEN I LEARNED THAT RODNEY HAD REQUESTED ME AS A PROJECT ADVISOR, BECAUSE I'VE HAD HIM IN CLASS BEFORE.

HE'S, WITHOUT A DOUBT, ONE OF THE MOST TERRIFIC STUDENTS THAT I'VE EVER HAD ANYWHERE.

HE'S PRODUCED PROBABLY CLOSE TO 200 PAGES.

HE HAS A CAPACIOUS CURIOSITY.

HE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A TERRIFIC SCHOLAR.

SPIVEY-JONES: I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH MY LIFE.

I HAD GOALS.

EVEN AT 19 YEARS OLD, I'M THINKING ABOUT BEING AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER.

I ENROLLED IN ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

I'M ALSO WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL.

I DELIVER TRAYS.

BUT ONCE I TELL MY EMPLOYER THAT I'VE ENROLLED INTO COLLEGE, HE CUTS MY HOURS COMPLETELY.

I AM A TEENAGER, BUT I STILL HAVE BILLS TO PAY.

I STILL HAVE TO PAY RENT.

I WAS ON MY OWN.

AND I WAS DESPERATE, VERY DESPERATE FOR MONEY.

AND I STARTED ROBBING PEOPLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, A ROBBERY WENT TERRIBLY WRONG.

AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE DETAILS OF IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MAYBE THE FAMILY IS-- MIGHT BE WATCHING THIS, AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THEM FEEL ANY WORSE THAN THEY DO.

[SIGHS] I KILLED SOMEONE.

OVER THE YEARS, I HAD NEVER FORGOTTEN THAT THIS MAN WAS A FATHER.

I NEVER FORGOT THAT.

AND THAT HE HAD A YOUNG DAUGHTER.

AND SHE IS A YOUNG WOMAN NOW, SHE'S A TEENAGER NOW.

SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON INSIDE ABOUT THIS WITH ME, RIGHT.

ON ONE HAND, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO LOSE SOMEONE, I REALLY KNOW.

I REALLY KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE FAMILY FOR ME TO EQUATE THEIR LOSS WITH MY LOSS.

AND THERE'S NOTHING I CAN SAY.

AN APOLOGY, THAT DOESN'T--THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS ANY OF THEIR PAIN.

I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THIS.

HOW DO YOU--I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU GO ABOUT EVEN CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT THAT ONE ACTION IS NOT WHO I AM, THAT ONE ACT IS NOT WHO I AM.

WOMAN: THEY MADE HORRIBLE DECISIONS.

UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THEM MADE DECISIONS THAT RUINED NOT ONLY THEIR LIVES, BUT MULTIPLE PEOPLE'S LIVES.

IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR IT AS BEST AS THEY CAN.

I MEAN, THEY'RE TRYING TO PAY BACK TO SOCIETY.

♪ SPIVEY-JONES: WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN AMERICA SPEAKING ABOUT THE VIOLENT CRIMINAL.

I AM NOT WORTHY OF REDEMPTION, AND PART OF THE REASON WHY WE THINK THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE WORDING, "VIOLENT CRIMINAL."

IT IS NOT THE VIOLENT ACT THAT YOU'VE COMMITTED 15, 20 YEARS AGO.

YOU ARE A VIOLENT CRIMINAL.

THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IS INHERENT ABOUT YOU THAT WE MUST PROTECT THE REST OF SOCIETY AWAY FROM.

THIS PERSON DID SOMETHING TERRIBLE.

HE SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR IT.

BUT HE'S A PERSON.

HE OR SHE IS A PERSON, AND THEY MIGHT CHANGE.

THEY MIGHT NOT BE A BAD PERSON.

THEY MIGHT NOT BE A BAD PERSON.

HERNANDEZ: IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT REAL.

I'M GOING HOME.

AHEM.

[EXHALES] I'M EXCITED, OF COURSE, BUT I'M SCARED.

WHAT'S IT GONNA BE LIKE?

AND OF COURSE IT'S GONNA BE HARD, BUT LIKE HOW HARD?

I HAVEN'T BEEN HOME SINCE I WAS 16.

I WAS A KID, AND I'M GONNA BE 28.

I WANT MY LIFE TO BE A TESTAMENT TO THE PERSON'S LIFE I TOOK.

THAT REQUIRES WORKING TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY IN MAKING MY LIFE ITSELF A SYMBOLIC MEMORIAL TO HIS.

IF I DON'T, IT'S JUST LIKE I'M FURTHER DISRESPECTING HIS MEMORY.

SO I SORT OF HAVE TO MAKE THIS WORK.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I'LL BE ABLE TO REDEEM MYSELF IN MY EYES, IN MY FAMILY'S EYES, IN SOCIETY'S EYES.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY.

[SOBBING] I'M SO HAPPY.

I'M HOME.

OH, MY GOD.

IT'S OK. YOU ALL RIGHT?

YEAH, MAN.

[CAR ENGINE STARTS] TE QUIERO MUCHO, ABUELA.

OK, BYE.

HOW DO YOU TURN IT OFF?

END CALL.

NOW LOOK, MY SCREEN IS BLACK.

IT DON'T WANT TO TURN OFF.

YOU GOT TO PRESS THE BUTTON.

WHAT BUTTON?

THIS BUTTON.

THAT'S A BUTTON?

PRESS IT.

WHERE IS THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL?

YOU JUST GOTTA KNOW HOW TO WORK IT.

NO, MAN, I NEED AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL OR SOMETHING.

IT'S LIKE, JUST LOOKING AT EVERYTHING.

WHAT TOWN IS THIS?

WOW.

[CELLPHONE DINGS] YOU ARE POPULAR.

[CELLPHONE DINGS] I CAN SEE THE BRIDGE.

WHAT BRIDGE IS THAT?

MAN: THE GEORGE WASHINGTON.

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON?

SEE, NOW I'M HOME.

[LAUGHS] THE ROOTS: ♪ 'CAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS AN ANGEL ♪ ♪ AND EVERYBODY NEEDS A SMILE ♪ ALL: WELCOME HOME!

THE ROOTS: ♪ AND EVERYBODY HAS AN ANGLE ♪ HA HA HA!

WELCOME HOME, KID.

THE ROOTS: ♪ NOBODY WANTS TOMORROW RIGHT NOW ♪ WELCOME HOME.

MAN: DON'T HOG YOUR BROTHER.

SMILE.

[INDISTINCT] THE ROOTS: ♪ UNTIL YOU FIND YOURSELF ♪ ♪ SOME SAY THAT HAPPINESS IS ALL AROUND YOU... ♪ TAKE YOUR BALLOON.

IT'S MY BALLOON.

[INDISTINCT] WELCOME HOME.

MOM: READY TO EAT?

I COULD EAT.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] [INDISTINCT P.A.

ANNOUNCEMENTS] [SCHOOL BELL RINGS] SPIVEY-JONES: THIS IS THE FINAL DAY OF THE PROJECT, SO TO SPEAK.

SO WE WROTE THE PROJECT, AND NOW WE'RE GOING IN FRONT OF 3 PROFESSORS AND HAVE A DISCUSSION.

BERTHOLD: WELCOME, RODNEY.

HI.

THE THESIS FOR THE PROJECT IS THAT AMERICANS IN GENERAL HAVE USED THE BLACK BODY AS AN OBJECT OF RHETORIC TO DEFINE THEIR IDENTITIES.

BLACK PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, USED THE SUFFERING BLACK BODY.

THEY USED BODIES IN A WAY TO FORCE AMERICA TO SEE THEIR SUFFERING SO THAT YOU CAN EMPATHIZE WITH THEIR PAIN.

WE SEE THIS NOT ONLY WITH EMMETT TILL, BUT WE SEE IT WITH THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT WITH MIKE BROWN, WITH TAMIR RICE.

THERE IS A LOT OF REALLY POWERFUL LANGUAGE.

THE IDEA OF MESSIANIC.

THAT IS A REALLY DELIBERATE CHOICE.

IT'S A CHOICE YOU MADE A LONG TIME AGO AND YOU'VE STAYED WITH, RIGHT, THIS IDEA OF THE MESSIANIC BLACK BODY.

BENJAMIN SAYS THAT WE SHOULDN'T LOOK AT HISTORY AS LINEAR, ONE EVENT FOLLOWING ANOTHER, AND THEN THE OTHER EVENTS ARE IN THE PAST.

WHEN HE SAYS MESSIANIC, HE IS SAYING THAT THIS PAST IS CONSTANTLY BEING RESURRECTED, IT IS CONSTANTLY REEMERGING.

WELL, WHEN WE TAKE THE BLACK BODY, IT'S A CONTAINER OF ALL OF THIS HISTORY OF SUFFERING AND RESISTANCE.

SO WE HAVE A BODY OF MIKE BROWN LYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET FOR 4 1/2 HOURS, BUT FOR MANY OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ACTIVISTS WHO ARE SEEING THIS BODY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, THEY ARE NOT JUST SEEING MIKE BROWN.

THEY ARE SEEING ALL OF THE PREVIOUS ACTS OF INDIGNITIES, INJUSTICE, AND IT'S NOT JUST THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, BUT THE ENTIRE, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, RACE.

AND I THINK MESSIANIC BLACK BODIES, IT ALLOWS ME TO EXPLAIN WHY, AGAIN, WHY AFRICAN AMERICANS CAN LOOK AT A BLACK BODY AND SAY, "LISTEN, THAT IS ALL OF THIS HISTORY, AND IT'S ME."

BERTHOLD: WE NEED TO DRAW THINGS TO A CLOSE.

SO STEP OUTSIDE FOR JUST A COUPLE MINUTES.

[SCHOOL BELL RINGS] SPIVEY-JONES: WRITING THIS PROJECT, I DID FEEL HOPELESS.

SEEING THE BODY OF EMMETT TILL, I MEAN, IT WAS JUST VERY SAD.

AND ALL OF THAT, IT JUST BECAME SO MUCH FOR ME, I HAD TO PUSH THE PROJECT AWAY AT SEVERAL POINTS DURING THE PROCESS AND JUST TAKE A BREAK BECAUSE IT WAS JUST HEAVY.

IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH FOR ME.

SO THIS IS THE AFTERWARD.

"DURING THE COURSE OF MY RESEARCH, "I DEVELOPED A HYPER-AWARENESS OF THE MANY OFTEN INSIDIOUS WAYS "IN WHICH SOCIETY DISFIGURES THE PERSONHOOD OF MARGINALIZED PEOPLE.

"I NOTICED THE ATTEMPT OF SO MANY TO LUMP DISPARATE ELEMENTS "INTO THE CATEGORY OF BLACKNESS "OR SOME OTHER CATEGORY MEANT TO HOUSE THE UNWORTHY, "CATEGORIES SUCH AS OFFENDER OR INMATE.

"IT IS DIFFICULT TO LIVE, "TO FUNCTION IN ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES.

"IT BEGINS TO FEEL LIKE SCURF "THAT ONE CANNOT SCRUB CLEAN FROM THE BODY.

"I AM A, QUOTE, IRREDEEMABLE, "TRAPPED IN ONE OF THESE CRIPPLING CATEGORIES FOR THE UNDESERVING.

"I'M RELUCTANT TO USE THE WORD ANGER.

"IN AMERICA, ANGER AND BLACKNESS AND OFFENDER "IS CONSIDERED A VOLATILE MIXTURE.

"BUT EVERYONE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, "SHOULD SEETHE WHEN INJUSTICE IS RAMPANT "AND BODIES ARE FALLING AND A NATION IS DIVIDED "ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE LOSSES OF ERIC GARNER, OF LAQUAN MacDONALD, OF MIKE BROWN, "OF TRAYVON MARTIN, INSERT HERE, ARE WORTH MOURNING.

"MOURNING IS NOT A QUESTION OF RACE AND BODIES.

"IT IS A QUESTION OF HUMANITY.

"LET ME SAY IT PLAINLY.

"THE BLACK BODY IS A PRISON OF FLESH "AND THE TRUTH IS UNFORGIVING.

"AFRICAN AMERICANS CAN NO MORE RELINQUISH THEIR SIGNIFYING BLACK BODIES "THAN THEY CAN CHANGE THE HISTORY OF THIS NATION.

BUT THEY MUST CONTINUE TO DEMAND."

BERTHOLD: CONGRATULATIONS, RODNEY.

THE REGISTRAR DOES NOT ALLOW US TO GIVE YOU THE GRADE THAT WE WANT TO GIVE TO IT, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AN A-PLUS, BUT SINCE THE REGISTRAR DOESN'T ALLOW IT, YOU GET AN "A."

THANK YOU.

MELLIS: CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

♪ YOON: I'M ABOUT TO GO TO MY BOARD AND TALK ABOUT MY SENIOR PROJECT.

I'M FEELING EXTREMELY NERVOUS.

I'M ACTUALLY TREMBLING.

HELLO!

JERGENS: ONE THING THAT JUMPS OUT WITH ME, WHICH IS-- IT'S ON PAGE 38.

AND IT'S AT THIS POINT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NOVEL "CLAY WALLS."

AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE THAT, YES, THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE PAST, BUT IT'S ALSO SPEAKING TO CONCERNS OF THE PRESENT.

I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD REFLECT A LITTLE BIT ON THE SAME QUESTION IN RELATION TO YOUNGHILL KANG'S NOVEL.

WHAT WAS MOTIVATING YOUNGHILL KANG IN THE THIRTIES TO WRITE THE NOVEL THAT HE DID?

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK THAT HE WAS EXPRESSING HIS OWN SORROW ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

HE WAS DOCUMENTING HIS OWN EXPERIENCES.

SECOND OF ALL, I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO-- AS HE IS KNOWN AS THE FIRST KOREAN-AMERICAN AUTHOR, I THINK HE UNDERSTOOD THAT NOBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE KOREAN IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND I THINK HE FELT THE NEED TO SOMEHOW DOCUMENT IT.

FOR EXACTLY WHAT REASONS I CANNOT SAY, BUT I THINK THAT THERE WAS A DESIRE IN HIM TO SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT, WE AS NOBODIES, AS THE OTHER, NEED TO SET A MARK."

MAN: CAN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT DID THE NOVELS SAY TOGETHER?

THERE'S SOME RESONANCE BETWEEN THEM, RIGHT?

TOGETHER, THESE NOVELS ARE SAYING THAT, "LOOK, SINCE THE 1930s, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED."

IT'S A STRUGGLE THAT WE KOREAN AMERICANS ARE CONTINUING TO FACE, BUT I THINK THEIR LARGER IMPLICATION IS NOT JUST KOREAN AMERICANS, IT'S IMMIGRANTS IN GENERAL IN AMERICA.

SO YEAH, WHY DON'T YOU STEP OUT FOR A QUICK MINUTE, LET US CONSULT, AND THEN WE'LL CALL YOU BACK IN, ALL RIGHT?

YEP.

JERGENS: DON'T GO FAR.

DON'T GO FAR.

WELL, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

OH, I MEAN, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THIS.

I MEAN, THIS IS AN "A."

AND THERE'S NOT EVEN ANY DOUBT IN MY MIND.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

CONGRATULATIONS.

WE THINK IT IS AN A-PROJECT, DEFINITIVELY, YEAH.

CONGRATULATIONS.

[LAUGHTER] GREAT JOB.

NOT ONLY ON THE PROJECT.

I MEAN, YOU REALLY DID WELL, I THINK, IN THE PANEL ITSELF.

YEAH, WE REALLY THREW SOME AT YOU, AND YOU DID IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD WORK, GOOD WORK.

YOON: I WANT TO GO HOME, AND I WANT TO LOOK BACK IN PRISON AND SAY PRISON WAS TERRIBLE.

I NEVER WANT TO GO BACK, BUT I LEARNED SOMETHING.

THAT IS WHERE TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS.

THAT IS WHAT STOPS PEOPLE FROM COMING BACK TO PRISON.

THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ABOUT PUNISHMENT AND REHABILITATION.

BUT I FEEL LIKE THE SYSTEM LACKS THE MORAL FOUNDATION THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE IN A COUNTRY THAT BELIEVES IN SECOND CHANCES.

[LAUGHING] I'M JUST SO HAPPY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

♪ GRAHAM: MY LAST VISIT, MY MOTHER WAS SAYING SHE WASN'T COMING AND SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW SHE WAS GONNA GET HERE 'CAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE.

SHE STILL HAD THE SAME ATTITUDE THIS MORNING.

MY SISTER DROVE, SO SHE CAME, AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT SHE CAME, ALONG WITH MY DAUGHTER, BECAUSE I WANT MY DAUGHTER TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT IF I CAN DO THIS IN HERE, THERE'S NO REASON WHY SHE CAN'T DO IT OUT THERE.

AND KNOWING THAT THEY'RE HERE TO SUPPORT ME, AND I GO HOME IN TWO WEEKS, REALLY, REALLY MEANS A LOT.

BARLEY: EARNING MY DEGREE IS MY RIGHT TO TAKE OFF THE SUMMER.

I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TAKE NO CLASSES THIS SUMMER.

I'M GONNA JUST CHILL.

BUT I SAW ONE OF THE CLASSES FOR THE SUMMER WAS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, AND IT'S A 300-LEVEL CLASS, SO I'M KIND OF LIKE--I DON'T THINK I CAN PASS IT UP.

I JUST--I DON'T THINK I COULD.

SO IT'S LIKE, IT NEVER ENDS.

IT NEVER ENDS FOR ME.

MIKA, OH, MY GOD, YOU ALREADY GOT YOUR CAP AND GOWN ON?

GRAHAM: YOU'LL SEE IT.

YOU ABOUT TO HAVE YOURS ON, TOO.

UH-UH.

I WANT MINE.

YOU LOOK SO NICE.

[SQUEALS] OH!

YO, I SEEN YOUR MAMA OUT THERE.

YOU DID?

YOU SEEN HER YET?

YEAH.

I SEEN YOUR MAMA AND YOUR DAUGHTER.

OH, I MISSED YOU!

I MISSED YOU, TOO.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] [APPLAUSE] FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE IN THIS RACKET OF EDUCATING PEOPLE, WE RARELY GET THE SENSE OF PRIDE ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET AN EDUCATION.

I SPEAK FOR ALL THE FACULTY WHEN I SAY THAT THE STUDENTS IN BPI REPRESENT THE HARDEST-WORKING, MOST DEDICATED, AND MOST INSPIRING STUDENTS WE HAVE.

TO MY FAMILY, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME THAT YOU HAVE COME OUT TO SHOW SUPPORT.

MOM, I LOVE YOU.

I TOLD YOU I WOULD MAKE YOU PROUD ONE DAY.

[APPLAUSE] AND TO MY BROTHER JONAH, WHOSE LIFE WAS CUT SHORT BEFORE HE COULD EVEN WALK THE STAGE, I'M WEARING THIS BOW TIE FOR HIM.

JONAH, THIS IS FOR YOU.

[APPLAUSE] WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE, YOU ALWAYS HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE DAY THEY GO HOME.

FOR SOME, THAT'S TRUE.

THEY ARE GOING HOME, BACK TO FAMILY, BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THEY ARRIVED AT TACONIC.

I'M SORRY.

BUT I DON'T HAVE MY IDEA OF HOME, NOT JUST YET.

HOME FOR ME IS NOW A JOURNEY.

HOME IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

HOME IS A CHOICE.

CHOICE.

THE CHOICE TO THINK FOR YOURSELF, THE CHOICE TO PUSH THROUGH AND SUCCEED.

INSIDE THE WALLS OF THE CLASSROOM, YOU ESCAPE THE WALLS OF THE CELL, AND YOU BECOME AN INDIVIDUAL AGAIN.

AND THOUGH I MAY STILL BE FIGURING OUT WHAT HOME WILL BE FOR ME, I CAN SAY WITH PRIDE AND CERTAINTY THAT I'M ALREADY A PART OF A FAMILY.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, TO US, TO MY BPI SISTERS.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ♪ WOMAN: SHAWNTA L. MONTGOMERY.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MONTGOMERY: BPI, FOR ME, HAS GIVEN ME LIKE A NEW PAIR OF EYES TO REALLY RECOGNIZE CERTAIN CYCLES IN LIFE AND HOW I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF CERTAIN THINGS ANYMORE.

GRADUATION, I THINK, HUMANIZED, LIKE, A LOT OF US.

IT MADE US FEEL LIKE WE BELONGED AGAIN.

IT WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE UTOPIA.

[LAUGHTER] ♪ IT'S GOOD.

YOON: SO THIS IS THE ASSOCIATE'S.

I AM IN THE BACHELOR'S.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SAY MY KOREAN NAME WHEN I GET UP THERE, TOO.

YOON: UPON BEING RELEASED, I WANTED TO GO TO GRAD SCHOOL, BUT GRAD SCHOOL IS EXPENSIVE.

FOR TOO LONG I HAVE BEEN ASSISTED BY MY DAD.

I MEAN, I'M 26 YEARS OLD NOW, AND HE'S BEEN SUPPORTING ME FOR 10 YEARS, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO JUST GO HOME AND TO SUPPORT HIM FOR ONCE.

[APPLAUSE] WOMAN: DYJUAN A. TATRO.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] TATRO: IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE A BARD ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.

AND NOT EVERYBODY IN PRISON GETS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE.

RODNEY J. JONES.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] WOMAN: SEBASTIAN TAYWUN YOON.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ♪ ♪ SPIVEY-JONES: I AM THINKING ABOUT GOING TO LAW SCHOOL.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT OPPORTUNITY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ME, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

SMITH: TO HAVE HIM TALK ABOUT HAVING A FUTURE OUTSIDE OF THOSE PRISON WALLS IS LIKE THE BEST THING EVER.

SO HE WANTS TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL, WHICH MEANS HE HAS A PLAN.

HE HAS A GOAL TO MAKE IT THROUGH, AND THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT I'M NOT GONNA RECEIVE A HORRIBLE PHONE CALL SAYING SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HIM, SAYING THAT HE--SOMEONE DONE SOMETHING TO HIM OR HE'S DONE SOMETHING TO HIMSELF 'CAUSE IT'S JUST TOO MUCH FOR HIM.

He HAS HOPE, AND HE JUST CAN'T WAIT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE AND TO HELP PEOPLE.

THIS IS A NEW PHASE OF MY LIFE.

I'M ALMOST OUT THE DOOR.

THAT MEANS I HAVE 5 MORE YEARS UNTIL I GO TO PAROLE BOARD.

SMITH: I WISH I COULD JUST FAST-FORWARD THE TIME AND JUST SEE HIM GET OUT AND SEE THE THINGS THAT HE'S GONNA ACCOMPLISH.

♪ ♪ THE ROOTS: ♪ SEND A MESSAGE TO GOD IN HEAVEN ♪ ♪ I'M THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE ♪ ♪ 'CAUSE I SLEEP FROM 11:00 TO 7:00 ♪ ♪ AND WORK HARD FROM 9:00 TO 5:00 ♪ ♪ 'CAUSE CAN'T NOBODY LAST FOREVER ♪ ♪ AND EVERYBODY HAS TO DIE ♪ ♪ AND EVERYBODY NEEDS PROTECTION ♪ ♪ I PRAY IT DON'T PASS ME BY ♪ ♪ 'CAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS AN ANGEL ♪ ♪ AND EVERYBODY NEEDS TO SMILE ♪ ♪ AND EVERYBODY HAS AN ANGLE ♪ ♪ AND EVERYBODY WANTS ♪ ♪ TOMORROW RIGHT NOW ♪ [ECHOING] ♪ SOME SAY THAT HAPPINESS WILL NEVER FIND YOU ♪ ♪ UNTIL YOU FIND YOURSELF ♪ ANNOUNCER: LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS FILM BY VISITING PBS.ORG/ COLLEGEBEHINDBARS JOIN THE CONVERSATION WITH #COLLEGEBEHINDBARSPBS.

TO ORDER "COLLEGE BEHIND BARS" ON DVD, VISIT SHOPPBS.ORG OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.

♪ IT COSTS NOTHING ♪ [ECHOING] ♪ IT COSTS NOTHING TO HELP SOMETIMES ♪ ♪ AHH ♪