Ken Burns Presents: College Behind Bars: A Film by Lynn Novick and Produced by Sarah Botstein Season 1 Episode 1 Part One: "Nobody ever taught me any of that"

In Ken Burns Presents: College Behind Bars: A Film by Lynn Novick and Produced by Sarah Botstein season 1 episode 1, titled Part One: "Nobody ever taught me any of that," viewers are introduced to the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI), a program that provides a rigorous liberal arts college education to incarcerated men and women in six New York State prisons. The episode opens with testimonials from several BPI students, who explain how the program has transformed their lives and given them a sense of hope and purpose.

The episode then delves into the origins of BPI and its founder, Max Kenner. Kenner was a student at Bard College when he taught a creative writing class at a nearby prison. He was struck by the intelligence and potential of the inmates he worked with, but also by the lack of educational opportunities available to them. This experience inspired him to create BPI, which he saw as a way to provide a college education to people who would never otherwise have the chance to earn one.

The episode follows several BPI students as they navigate the challenges of being incarcerated while also pursuing a college degree. We meet Sebastian Yoon, who is serving 25 years to life for murder and has become an accomplished student and poet through BPI. We also meet Dyjuan Tatro, who was sentenced to prison at the age of 17 and is determined to use his education to achieve his goals once he is released.

Through interviews with BPI faculty members, the episode explores the academic rigor of the program and the challenges of teaching in a prison environment. The faculty members explain that they aim to teach critical thinking and analysis, as well as provide students with a broader understanding of the world and their place in it. However, they also must navigate security concerns and other limitations that come with teaching in a prison.

Throughout the episode, viewers are reminded of the stark inequalities that exist within the American criminal justice system. Many of the BPI students come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have experienced poverty, violence, and trauma. Meanwhile, the prison system is designed to punish rather than rehabilitate, with little emphasis placed on education or other forms of enrichment.

Despite these challenges, the BPI students and faculty are committed to their work, and the episode ends on a hopeful note. Viewers are left with a sense of the transformative power of education and the potential for positive change within the criminal justice system.

Overall, Ken Burns Presents: College Behind Bars: A Film by Lynn Novick and Produced by Sarah Botstein season 1 episode 1 is a powerful introduction to BPI and the transformative effects of education. It provides a nuanced look at the challenges and opportunities of teaching college in a prison environment, while also exposing viewers to the injustices of the American criminal justice system. This episode sets the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking series that is sure to engage and inspire viewers.