sally port

The other day I was waiting in the sally port with my students, 15 or 16 guys. "Suspect" goes "Your fuckin tag is showing, homes!" And tucks in the tag to my shirt.

A few months earlier a CO (guard) accompanied us into the sally port. This has never happened before. I've gone through the sally port with inmates and without escort hundreds of times. There's quite a bit of muttering about this.

"Why's the Co with us?'

"There's a new rule, women have to be escorted in the sally port"

"Aww we would never hurt Tejal!"

"No way!" "She's our teacher, man"

"Besides if we tried, She'd kick our ass!"

That was the first and last time I've been escorted in the sally port.

My very first time in the sally port, a glass and metal space about the size of a freight elevator and always about 85 degrees, the fellow who was training me left me alone in there with 12 guys in orange. I was nervous, my first day on the job.

One guy said "hey how many of you guys are in here for violent crimes?" They ALL raised their hands. I was scared, but kept my feet on the ground and kept eye contact with the guys right next to me. I saw the twinkle in his eyes, and realized, that although they may indeed be there for violent crime, they were just messing with me.

We did the 90 minute class, and I got to teach in this setting for the first time. The sincerity, humility, heart, and wisdom the men shared blew me away. During the check out I heard " Thank you Miss Tejal for seeing us for who we really are.' "Thank you miss, for treating us with respect." " Thank you, miss for seeing past the orange."