Draft:The Educational Justice Institute

The Educational Justice Institute ("TEJI") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization within MIT with the mission of "[improving] the quality of life for incarcerated women and men through education, while simultaneously raising the social consciousness of MIT students." The organization engages in criminal justice reform and community engagement to improve conditions for justice-impacted individuals.

The program seeks to bridge the cultural gap between correctional institutions and educational systems, addressing logistical and institutional barriers that often hinder access to learning in prison settings. TEJI supports both in-person and virtual instruction, including video-delivered mini-courses and Zoom-based classes that connect MIT students with incarcerated learners.

History and leadership

TEJI was established in 2017, following an internal project founded by MIT faculty member Lee Perlman. In early 2018, Carole Cafferty, a retired superintendent in corrections, joined as co-director, and together they formally launched TEJI in its current structure.

In 2020, the Educational Justice Institute at MIT launched a coeducational, multi-campus college-in-prison course in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program included students from MIT, Harvard, and Wellesley alongside incarcerated students at men’s and women’s facilities across the Northeast. In 2021, TEJI piloted Brave Behind Bars: a computer science education program for incarcerated individuals led by Marisa Gaetz and Martin Nisser. Brave Behind Bars went on to receive media attention from major outlets like Washington Post and MSNBC.

In October 2022, TEJI co-founded the New England Commission on the Future of Higher Education in Prison in partnership with the New England Board of Higher Education. The commission brings together regional leaders in higher education, workforce development, corrections, advocacy, and formerly incarcerated professionals.

Notable activity

TEJI provides educational programs in subjects such as emotional intelligence, urban sociology, and computer programming (including Python). Courses focus on developing skills in critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving. Some include mentorship and applied learning components. Offerings are supported by partnerships with universities and nonprofit organizations.

In 2019, WGBH produced a short film titled Redemption: MIT’s Prison Education Program, which featured TEJI’s inside-out philosophy course at South Bay House of Correction. In 2023, TEJI partnered with Colombia’s Internal Action Foundation to bring its Authenticity course to La Modelo prison in Bogotá. Taught by Perlman, the course marked TEJI’s first international offering and included participants from MIT, Harvard, incarcerated students, and prison staff. The program focused on themes such as forgiveness and radical honesty, with support from Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez.

Special projects

TEJI participates in projects and initiatives beyond their course offerings. The House of Correction Mural Project, conducted with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department and MIT affiliates, involved creating a mural with augmented reality features at the South Bay House of Correction. The PKG Criminal Justice Immersion Program, in partnership with the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center, introduces MIT students to aspects of the criminal justice system through site visits and discussions with practitioners. Summer of Hope, sponsored by the City of Boston, brings system-involved youth to local universities for academic programming, including sessions led by TEJI staff. In 2017, TEJI organized a debate between the MIT Debate Team and incarcerated individuals at MCI–Norfolk on the topic of pharmaceutical company accountability in the opioid crisis.