Pell Grants for Prisoners

The Brian Lehrer Show | Aug 3, 2015

The Obama administration announced that Pell Grants will be awarded to incarcerated students for the first time in 20 years as part of a new pilot program.

Former prisoners Glenn Martin, founder and president of JustLeadershipUSA, and Vivian Nixon, executive director of the College and Community Fellowship, talk about their work advocating for more access to education for prisoners through the Education from the Inside Out Coalition they founded.

Tune into @BrianLehrer NOW to hear @feedingfaith and me discuss @POTUS' new pgm to bring college back to US prisons pic.twitter.com/r7ADRUetrP
— Glenn E. Martin (@glennEmartin) August 3, 2015

Former prisoners @glennEmartin + @feedingfaith are talking about access to education and @EIO_Coalition. pic.twitter.com/LsUct9DhBx
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 3, 2015

Anyone who meets income req is eligible for Pell Grant. If you see education as human right, ppl in prison have that right. @feedingfaith
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 3, 2015

.@BrianLehrer gets to the heart of the problem. #PellGrants in #prison don't take $$ away from other students. Anyone eligible gets 1 #WNYC
— CCF (@ccf_ny) August 3, 2015

Pell Grants for prisoners isn't a 0-sum game explains, @feedingfaith. Federal gov't adjusts budget to meet need for every eligible student.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 3, 2015

@BrianLehrer this wouldn't be an issue if we didn't see prisoners as second class citizens. Non prisoners get full rides & no one complains
— Autogyne Ophelia (@transfaerie) August 3, 2015

.@glennEmartin: criminal justice system disproportionately affects specific races. Barriers act as surrogate for race-based discrimination.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 3, 2015

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