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Connections

Coming up on Connections: Monday, November 30th

Jeff Smith

First hour: Understanding how high school textbooks can have serious errors about slavery

Second hour: Inside the American prison system

Textbook maker McGraw-Hill took some heat last month when it was revealed that one of their history books in a Texas high school referred to slaves as "workers." The company apologized and promised to correct the mistake, but only after a student's mother raised the issue. So we've been checking around the Rochester area, wondering if those textbooks have been in use locally. And more broadly speaking, how are textbooks made? How should they be vetted? What should we expect? Our guests in studio:

Verdis Robinson, professor of History and African American studies at Monroe Community College
Theresa Sarkis-Kruse, diploma program coordinator, Wilson Commencement
Pech Chun, University of Rochester freshman and IB Program graduate
Sheila Kiruku, University of Rochester freshman and IB Program graduate
Jim Caswell, Middle Years Program coordinator and social studies chair, Wilson Commencement

Then, a new book is aiming to expose the American prison system, and it's written by a person who became an unlikely inmate. Jeff Smith was a 20-something rising star in Missouri politics, nearly getting elected to Congress out of nowhere, and then becoming a State Senator. What looked like a minor elections infraction earned him a year in prison, and he decided to write a book about his experience there. It's called Mr. Smith Goes to Prison, and Smith hopes it will lead to changes in how -- and whom -- we incarcerate in America. He's our guest.

Connections
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.