Lee Perlman, a co-founder of The Educational Justice Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a veteran educator in the prison system, described the Tufts program as a "national model." Perlman, who taught a course titled the "philosophy of love" within the Tufts program as recently as last spring, emphasized that the strength of MyTERN lay in its ability to create a community for people with shared lived experiences.
"Reentry is just really, really, really hard," Perlman said, reflecting on the challenges his students face. "I know guys who get out of prison with a college degree and get a good job, but I know others who are loading UPS trucks. You get out of prison with nothing and all the systems for reentry are inadequate. People are just struggling for the basics."
Perlman argued that education does more than just build a resume; it changes a person’s internal narrative. "I’ve experienced my students in prison as falling in love with thinking and understanding and analyzing," he said. "They get to see themselves in a very different light."
The Decision to Pause and the University’s Rationale
Despite the program’s reputation, the university administration determined that the May shooting necessitated a temporary halt. Patrick Collins, the university’s executive director of media relations, explained in a statement that the pause is intended to be a constructive period of reflection and restructuring.
"Our shared goal is to ensure TUPIT receives the administrative support and resources it needs so that current and future participants can continue to benefit from its academic opportunities and coursework," Collins said. He added that the university is focused on ensuring the program operates in strict alignment with university-wide policies and protocols, particularly those involving "non-academic supports."
In a recent update, Tufts Provost and Senior Vice President ad interim Joe Auner informed the community that a faculty and staff workgroup had been convened over the summer to evaluate the program’s operations. The findings of this review are expected to be released soon, and the workgroup will be responsible for evaluating recommendations for the future of prison education at Tufts.
However, the future of the MyTERN reentry component remains uncertain. When asked by Inside Higher Ed whether the program would resume after the current academic year, Collins declined to provide a definitive timeline. In the interim, the university has stated it is working to connect current participants with external partners and alternative sources of support to ensure they are not left entirely without resources during the suspension.
Institutional Risk vs. Educational Mission
