What He Wanted

. Before the Covid pandemic started, I was requested by our school principal to travel to another prison facility and help a program staff person decide how to run the greenhouse. The principal had eliminated the Horticulture program, but he still wanted the greenhouse to operate. I did not agree with his decision to eliminate the program, and was hoping I could change his mind. The Horticulture teachers at two other prisons were able to work with an administrative coordinator, and develop a curriculum that was backed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the Michigan Nursery and Landscaping Association. They were both exceptional teachers, and I was glad to be their colleague. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by a young woman who was very happy to see me. She had so many questions for me I had to ask her to wait a minute. I needed to find out from her why, if the program was eliminated, did the principal still want to operate a greenhouse?

.She was straightforward with me and felt overwhelmed. She was aware of the lay off of the Horticulture Instructor who ran the program. The Horticulture Instructor who had replaced him, because he had more seniority, was rarely there. He eventually retired, and the principal would not fill the position. However, he still wanted the gardens and greenhouse to operate. She informed me that she didn’t want to make any negative waves with the School Principal, and was hoping I could give her some direction on what to do. She only wanted to do what he requested from her. It was perplexing to say the least. I found this school principal to be arrogant, flippant at times, mostly disingenuous, and ignorant. He should not have eliminated the Horticulture program here! She was able to keep the Horticulture clerks employed, but didn’t know what they would be doing. She believed the school principal wanted them to maintain a facility garden, donate flowers and house plants to the community. The prison garden would be used in their food technology program and donations of produce to their immediate community.

.The contacts had been established by the Horticulture Teacher whom the principal effectively laid off when he eliminated the program. I didn’t want to make another visit here so I asked to speak with the tutors and her together. Some of them I already knew when they stayed at Macomb, so I also was aware of their abilities., and inabilities. Before I left for the day we established a goal for what they needed to accomplish, and how they could be successful. I gave her contacts for obtaining soil, seeds, plant material, pots, and we established a garden schedule. She thanked me and I did believe they would be successful. I never got to check in on them because a month after visiting that prison Covid 19 began its’ terrible rage. Covid had struck all the prisons in the state of Michigan. Our school principal had to stay at the facility he eliminated the Horticulture program at. He would not be coming here for meetings. I had found out from another staff person that my contact at that prison, who only wanted to do what “he wanted her to do” had passed away from covid. I was feeling exhausted and just didn’t want to think on this anymore. I said a prayer for her but I still felt numb…Prison Stories To Be Continued..