The author of this book taught in the college program at San Quentin for fourteen years. Before the publication date, he was fired from his (unpaid) position out of concern that he posed a security threat. Was this a justified position on the part of the prison?
I saw this and researched what happened. While I understand rules exist, but the author did discuss why he was going to do what he did. As to a security threat, our erstwhile president is the biggest security threat in the world, and he gets to stay. I fail to see how this beautiful book could be any kind of a threat except maybe to petty cretins. The prison lost a valuable asset.
As soon as I saw the title and read the back of the book, I saw that he was a professor in the college program at San Quentin. I wondered if something would not happen because he had intimate knowledge of the San Quentin prison. It is a shame for him to have lost his position at the prison because I am sure he was a valuable asset to the prisoners there. However, most companies don’t care much for their employees in this day and age. Everyone is replaceable, therefore, companies do not care.
On the surface it seems unjustified after spending so many years at a tutor. Maybe through his research for this book, he asked too many questions or probed too many guards.
It’s a shame that it happened. I found myself wondering, if he did not consider this a possibly upon the publishing of this book. Just a thought. The prison is there for a reason and if the powers that be thought it may pose a security threat, it may had been the only choice to be made.
Personally I don’t feel like it was justified. I don’t know, maybe they were afraid that he would do something like Allison? But I feel like that is a stretch
I don’t think his termination was the right action. I’d sure like to have overheard that conversation! I wonder how he was notified and the reactions of the prisoners.
It seems like an overreaction by the prison officials. The manner of the escape described in the book would apparently not be currently possible, but it may have felt politically untenable for the prison to continue to allow Bill Smoot to teach there.
I inadvertently created a post similar to this, but I want to add, would this book be as compelling if it wasn’t about San Quentin.
From what we were told, I do not think he posed a security threat, and he should not have been fired. However, I do acknowledge that when you work or volunteer at a prison, you sign an agreement that limits certain behaviors and failure to comply can result in termination and if he broke this agreement, then they were justified in firing him. (Certain employers even prevent a publication about the workplace!)
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Interesting, if the author’s firing had to do with the writing of this book. Shame on the prison system! Throughout the book, author was complimentary of various programs to help inmates. Shoots could have taken a more negative view of the system but he didn’t.
Yes, you are totally correct. You hit the nail on the head!!