The Reason Why Hundreds Of Books Were Removed From An Illinois Prison Library
Lance Pittman arrived at the Danville Correctional Center on Jan. 10 with multiple boxes of books, and bound printouts of articles and book chapters. Pittman coordinates a college in prison program called the Education Justice Project, which offers University of Illinois classes to a select group of men at the Danville prison.
Earlier this year, hundreds of books were removed from the college in prison programs library inside the educational wing of the Danville prison. Documents obtained by Illinois Newsroom shine a light on why the books were removed, and who was responsible for their removal.
The boxes contained books to be used in American literature, urban communities and policy, gender in society and critical race theory classes, in addition to EJP handbooks that are handed out to students at convocation.
To Pittmans surprise, the materials were confiscated at the prison gates. EJP staff had previously received a memo from prison administrators stating that the books were approved to enter the facility.
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