The Michigan Department of Corrections is receiving pushback for the way it restricts access to foreign language materials from inmates.
This summer, MDOC lifted its ban on non-English-language dictionaries.
WKAR’s Michelle Jokisch Polo reported on the restrictions before the dictionary ban was lifted.
Now, the American Civil Liberties Union is urging MDOC to take it a step further and rescind its ban on other foreign language books.
WKAR's Megan Schellong spoke with Michelle about her reporting, and what’s next.
Interview Highlights
On why the non-English language dictionary ban was implemented in the first place
They [MDOC officials] said that they were doing that because the contents of the books are a threat to the state's penitentiaries. So they were saying, you know, if you decide to learn Spanish or Swahili, you could organize with other inmates and cause violence in the prisons.
On what the process of books getting removed from the banned list looks like
That's a long process. I spoke with the spokesperson from MDOC. And he told me that the process starts with a meeting, this meeting they had. They started it this past month, and through this meeting, they will start reviewing what's on the band list in the banned list— it's a list of over 60 pages long, and they're going to be reviewing that list. And they want to make sure that the books that are on that list deserve to be on that list. And it's a long process.
On how the Department of Corrections is treating the request from the American Civil Liberties Union
So in the letter, the American Civil Liberties Union sent over to MDOC, they're, you know, they're asking them to take a consideration to look at these books on a case-by-case basis, to not just make a blatant decision on all books and say no, and I think they're willing to look at that. From what I've been hearing and seeing, I think they're willing to consider it and, you know, that's exciting to see our community partner with one another to make sure that everyone has access to educational materials.
Interview Transcript
Megan Schellong: The Michigan Department of Corrections is receiving pushback for the way it restricts access to foreign language materials from inmates.
This summer, MDOC lifted its ban on non-English-language dictionaries.
WKAR’s Michelle Jokisch Polo reported on the restrictions before the dictionary ban was lifted.
Now, the American Civil Liberties Union is urging MDOC to take it a step further and rescind its ban on other foreign language books.
Michelle joins me now to discuss her reporting, and what’s next.
Thanks for joining me.
Michelle Jokisch Polo: Thanks for having me, Megan.
Schellong: So tell us a little backstory. Why was the non-English-language dictionary ban implemented in the first place?
Jokisch Polo: So over the last year, we've discovered through a Freedom of Information Act that the Michigan Department of Corrections was banning dictionaries in Spanish and Swahili and they said that they were doing that because the contents of the books are a threat to the state's penitentiaries.
So they were saying, you know, if you decide to learn Spanish or Swahili, you could organize with other inmates and cause violence in the prisons.
Schellong: What was your reaction to MDOC lifting its ban on non-English-language dictionaries?
Jokisch Polo: So after my reporting, came out, a lot of people in our community kind of were surprised. And they reached out to their state representatives and senators and folks in leadership, and that, you know, started talking about this more. On July 21st, without much fanfare, the MDOC director, Heidi Washington, she issued what's called a memo. And in this memo, she said, you know, we are going to be lifting the ban on dictionaries, and foreign language dictionaries, and folks can now get those in their prison. And my reaction, you know, I found out several months later, and I was surprised, I was surprised at the impact that you know, the reporting had on the policy. And, you know, the reporting was a small part of lifting that ban at MDOC.
Schellong: You got to speak with an inmate who had wanted to learn Swahili. Was there anything surprising that he told you about barriers to education and literacy in Michigan prisons?
Jokisch Polo: Yeah, you know, he talked to me about how he's African American, and he was really interested, is really interested in learning more about his ancestors, you know, about Africa and where he came from, where his ancestors came from.
And part of that journey for him was learning Swahili and diving deep into that language and he had difficulty in accessing that. And what's interesting is that it's not just dictionaries that he had difficulty accessing, it was you books about different religions in Africa, different traditions, that he couldn't access and, you know, all he really wanted to do was learn more about who he is, who his family, his ancestors were, and those were denied.
While reporting on the lifting of the ban, I spoke with Mira Edmonds, she's a clinical assistant professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School. She told me that she's glad that the ban has been lifted. But there's more to do. And this is what she said:
Mira Edmonds: You know, the commercial driver's license manual, computer manuals, other things that would help people again, sort of, prepare themselves to reenter the workforce.
Jokisch Polo: She wants to make sure that inmates have access to other educational materials to be able to reenter the workforce once they leave the correctional facility.
Sschellong: What does the process of books getting removed from the banned list look like? How does that process even start?
Jokisch Polo: Yeah, so that's a long process. I spoke with the spokesperson from MDOC. And he told me that the process starts with a meeting, this meeting they had. They started it this past month, and through this meeting, they will start reviewing what's on the banned list, it is a list of over 60 pages long, and they're going to be reviewing that list. And they want to make sure that the books that are on that list deserve to be on that list. And it's a long process. But I think, forward-looking this is an opportunity to make that change. And they're willing to make that change and they're beginning that review.
Schellong: How is the Department of Corrections treating or responding to the request from the American Civil Liberties Union?
Jokisch Polo: So in the letter that the American Civil Liberties Union sent over to MDOC, they're, you know, they're asking them to take a consideration to look at these books on a case-by-case basis, to not just make a blatant decision on all books and say no, and I think they're willing to look at that. From what I've been hearing and seeing, I think they're willing to consider it and, you know, that's exciting to see our community partner with one another to make sure that everyone has access to educational materials.
Schellong: Michelle Jokisch Polo is WKAR’s Latinx stories reporter. Thanks for your time.
Jokisch Polo: Thanks for having me.
This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
