May 15, 2004

Dear Mr. Pecchio,

    I apologize for not writing you sooner. It has been a very busy week with my brother in the hospital for some major surgery.
    I received you most interesting book, "Hell Behind Prison Walls" It is one that I shall reread again. It reminds me of when I was in the classroom and the politics in the school administration. Fortunately for me, I was never physically attacked.
    However, shortly after I started teaching special education students, one of the teachers did get attacked by a student. Like you were at the prison, he could do noting to defend himself. Teachers could not touch a student, or they could be brought up on charged. As you pointed out, nothing is ever the persons fault; it is always someone else's fault. Some people just can't take responsibility for their own actions. It is amazing how similar some things are between the prison system and the public school system.
    I agree with you that prisoners have more rights than the victims. Students have more rights than the teachers in the public school system also. It makes you wonder what this world is coming to.
    Thank you for writing the book. If and when you publish another book, please let me know.

Sincerely yours,
Evelyn Smith
Milan, Pennsylvania