Education in Massachusetts Youth Facilities

Check out this article written by Jack Sullivan, which ran three weeks ago in Commonwealth magazine. It details the enormous challenges Department of Youth Services faces educating youth in their care. As one person quoted in the article says,“I give [DYS] credit for trying. These kids are sort of the bottom of the barrel. Nobody wants to spend money on these kids. DYS has been a dumping ground for a lot of the society’s unwanted kids for a long time.” Following the piece are two lengthy comments from DYS teachers that take issue with some of the Sullivan’s points and insist that the Department’s efforts to educate detained and incarcerated youth make more of a difference in their lives than perhaps the article might lead one to believe.