All language subtitles for Highway to Heaven S04E09 Why Punish the Children.eng

[opening theme music playing]

Boy, I tell you, you'd think
they were locking us up,
putting us through all that.

Mark, you were a cop,
you of all people ought to
know about jail security.

I do. I do. It just
feels funny, that's all.

Being frisked,
fingerprinted, mug shots.

Now you know what it's like
on the other side.

Yeah, I hate it.

Okay, the initiation's over.

Time to go to work.

You heard the lady.

[buzzing]

This is great.

I spend my whole
life as a cop,

I end up in jail.

Now, don't mind
my friend Mark here.

He's a little nervous.

Oh.

Yeah.
First-day-of-school jitters.

I've been that way
my whole life, too.

Yeah, but you're the teacher.

Yeah, but we're going
into a classroom

filled with strangers and all,
you know.

Don't you mean a classroom
filled with prisoners?

Yeah, I do.

I'm a little nervous about it,
Miss Canner.

Call me Melanie.

And, Mark,

trust me.
You're gonna do just fine.

These students are receptive.
They're very eager to learn.

How many have you signed up?

Well, only eight so far,

but we'll get more
as time goes on.

This is a very exciting day
for us.

[Mark] Yeah? Why is that?

I've been a social worker
for eight years.

And I've spent
most of that time

trying to make things even
a little better
for the women in here.

Getting a high school
program was not easy,

but it was worth the fight.

Hey, I'm surprised.

I thought most jails
offered courses

to help train the inmates
for when they got out.

You were wrong.

[indistinct chatter]

Ladies, let me introduce
your new teachers.

This is Mr. Smith
and Mr. Gordon.

How you doing?

Okay, men. You're on your own.

Well, go ahead.

Okay, ladies, we all
know why we're here.

Well, I'm here for
writing bad checks.

Why are you here?

[giggling]

Your turn.

All right.

Look, I think the best way
to start is for us to get
to know each other.

So, I'd like each one of you
to introduce yourselves

and if you don't mind,

tell us why you'd like to get
your high school diploma.

We can start right
in the front.

I am Maria Rojas,

and I would like to
graduate high school

in order to set a good example
for my baby.

That's a very good reason.
When are you due, Maria?

Last month.

[all laugh]

It could be at any time.

All right. Next.

Evelyn Walker.

Guess I'm here 'cause
I want to

make something of myself.

I got kids, you know.

I'm not going
to be here forever.

I want a decent job
when I get out,

so I can take care of my kids.

That's all.

Patty Duncan.

I just figured,
as long as I'm here,

I might as well be
learning something.

[Jonathan] That's good. Next.

Oh, Reba Williams.

I got five kids,

and I thought maybe...

Maybe I ought
to get my diploma,

then maybe they could be
proud of me for something.

[clamoring]

You know, I hated studying
in high school.

It's kinda funny I'm really
enjoying this class.

Well, that's because you know
how important it is now,
you're smarter.

You know, I know
it's real important to study
grammar and all, Mr. Smith.

And I wanna learn
to write better,

but will we be studying
any literature?

Oh, you bet we will.

American authors mostly

and a little English lit.

-Shakespeare?
-Oh, Shakespeare definitely.

Oh, boy, you can imagine
Lucille Perry conversant
with Shakespeare.

You know, I tried to
read that stuff,

but he don't make
a bit of sense to me.

[all laugh]

But that's what
high school's for, Lucille.

You know, to broaden your
horizons, open new doors.

Open doors, now we could
definitely use a little more
of that around here.

[all laugh]

Here you go. Have
another milk.

A pregnant lady
can't get too much.

Oh, that's very sweet of you,
Mr. Gordon,

but I can get my own.

No, no, no. You stay put now.

You shouldn't
be on your feet too much.

In fact, that baby could
make an appearance
at any moment.

[chuckles]
You're right about that.

Thank you.

Mind if I ask you a question?

I don't mind.

How did you get yourself,
you know, in this condition?

You don't know how it happens?

I don't mean how did
you get pregnant.

I mean, didn't you
think about your baby

before you committed
your crime?

I'm sorry. I had no right.

That's okay.

I made mistakes.

I admit it.

But I'm going to make up
for those mistakes.

My baby will not
suffer for my sins.

Mr. Inman, I'd like you to
meet one of our new teachers.

This is Mr. Smith,
this is our warden.

Thomas Inman.

Jonathan Smith.

I hope the women here
appreciate the opportunity
we're affording them

and take advantage of it.

I'm sure they will.

They've been doing
very well so far.

That's good to hear.
Yes, indeed.

Well, would you care to
finish lunch with me
in the staff dining room?

You'd probably
be more comfortable.

Actually, I'm very comfortable
right here with my students.

Would you like to
join us for lunch?

Um...

No.

I think not.

Another time, perhaps.

The man is insufferable.

You'd think he was the one who
was responsible for starting

this high school program,

when I fought him for five
years before he consented.

Why? Why is he
so afraid of change?

Oh, it's not just
Thomas Inman.

It's the entire penal system.

The system's hardly changed
in the last 200 years.

It's still based on the notion

that society would rather see

offenders punished
than rehabilitated.

[Jonathan] All right, now,
I want you to read
chapters one and two

of using your dictionary
and do the exercises
at the end of each chapter.

Any questions?

Does neatness count?

Always.

And when you're done with
that, there's something else
I'd like you to do.

I want you to write an essay.

-[all] Aw...
-All right.
Take it easy, relax.

All I want is
a couple of pages.

I just want to get an idea
of your writing skills.

What do we write about?

Stuff you know about,
yourselves.

Boring.

Not my life, honey.

I got a best-seller
just waiting to be told.

Yeah, well, like I said,
only two pages.

All right, I know
it's visiting day,

so I'm gonna dismiss
the class a little bit early.

I want to thank you all
for your attention.

[woman 1] Oh, tell me
about it.

[woman 2] I can help you.

Mr. Smith, thanks
for letting us go early.

My kids are coming today.

Have a nice visit, Evelyn.

Thanks.

[Eva] That's it.

Nice and easy now, Maria.

That's it.

That's it.

That's it, Maria.

Oh, hi, Mr. Smith.

How you doing, Maria?

Fine. Mama Eva, this is one of
our new teachers, Mr. Smith.

Well, it's a pleasure
to meet you, Mr. Smith.

High time we got
some teachers in here.

Eva Haskell.

Pleasure to meet you, Eva.

Everyone calls her Mama.

She may be chief matron here,

but she is more like
a housemother.

So, you're going for
natural childbirth?

I'm going to try it,

but I'm not sure
how brave I am.

-Oh, you'll do fine.
-[Jonathan chuckles]

You just listen to your nurse.

'Cause she's the most
important person
in that delivery room.

The doctor,
he's only the catcher.

-Remember that.
-[all laugh]

Oh, look at the time.

My break was over
five minutes ago.

I gotta run, Mr. Smith,
nice meeting you.

Same here. You take care.

Seems like a nice lady.

I don't know what I would've
done without Mama Eva.

She has taught me everything
about being pregnant.

I was so frightened.

There was so much
I didn't know.

Well, have you seen a doctor?

Only once. They will only
bring a doctor if you get
very ill.

Wait a minute, you're
telling me you're nine
months pregnant,

and you've seen a doctor
one time?

That is why I'm so grateful
to Mama Eva.

Maria, what's going
to happen with your baby?

That is not a problem.

Really.

My grandmother is going to
take care of him.

She is a wonderful woman.

She raised me after my mother
died when I was a child.

And I only have seven more
months before my parole.

Then I will raise
my baby myself.

Excuse me, I'm looking for
Miss Canner, she was
down here.

Yeah, she is right inside.

You can go on in
and wait for her if you like.

Thank you.

[woman] Oh, hello, Allison.

Allison.

Oh, darling.

Hello. Yes.

Oh, yes, you're
getting so big.

So big.

Hi, sweetheart.

Hi.

♪ Hush, little baby ♪

♪ Don't you cry ♪

♪ Mama's gonna
Sing you a lullaby ♪

♪ Hush, little baby ♪

♪ Don't say a word ♪

♪ Mama's gonna buy you
A mockingbird ♪

♪ If that mockingbird
Don't sing ♪

♪ Mama gonna sing you
A lul... ♪

Allison...

I miss you.

Opens your eyes, doesn't it?

Visiting day is pretty much
of a downer around here.

It's funny, though.

These women look forward to it
every single time.

They can't wait
to see their kids,

their families.

It's just so damn hard
for them to say goodbye.

They're usually depressed
for days afterwards.

That's what happens
when you break the law.

You're right, of course,

but the problem is
the kids pay, too.

I have tried so hard

to get contact visitation
rights for these women.

It breaks my heart

to see them trying to
reach each other
through a glass wall.

Very good reason
for that glass wall,
Miss Canner,

and you know it.

I was a cop.

I know what people would do

to try to get weapons
or drugs into a prison.

They'll even use their own
kids to smuggle them in.

Fine, then search
the women afterwards,

if that's the concern,
but for God's sake,

these women need
to touch and hold

and caress their children.

And I guess the children
need it most of all.

I miss you.

I miss you very much.

I love you.

Give me a kiss.

[kisses]

[buzzing]

Well?

Well what?

How was your first day?
You seemed worried about it
this morning.

No. No. I'm over that.

They're good students.

You know, Melanie was right.
These women really
want to learn.

Well, what's wrong then?
You've hardly said a word.

I saw something today
that really shook me up.

What was it?

I went to the visitation room
to find Melanie,

boy, it was tough.

Women talking to their
children through a glass
wall over a telephone.

I mean, I was a cop, right?

I've been around prisoners
all my life.

I figured most of them
should be locked up
and throw away the key.

I mean, I figured they gave up
their rights when they
committed their crime.

Listening to a mother sing
a lullaby to their children...

Boy, over a telephone.

Doesn't seem right.

Well, like you said,
they're criminals, Mark.

Yeah, but isn't prison
punishment enough?

Do we have to dangle their
children in front of them?

Say, "Hey, you can look,
but you can't touch"?

I mean, that is cruel
and ought to be stopped.

Yeah? There's the man
to talk to.

[sighs]

All right. I will.

Mr. Inman?

Yes, Mr. Gordon,
what can I do for you?

I'd like to ask
you a question.

Please do.

I'd like to know why the women
in this prison have to see
their children

through a glass wall?

[sighs]

It's a security measure.

Standard policy
in most prisons.

Well, then the policy stinks.

Is that your expert opinion?

After all, you've only
been here one day, Gordon.

Hardly enough time
to understand
the criminal justice system.

Hey, look, I was a cop
for 20 years.

I know the system.

Believe me, I have seen
the lowest of the low.

People who should be locked up
and never see
the light of day again,

but a lot of the women
in this prison are mothers.

So, we are dealing with women
and children here.

Seems to me, that should
make a difference

in the way we treat them.

Not to me, it doesn't

I didn't convict those women.

They committed a crime.

And the state says
they have to pay.

I'm just here to see they do
their time and that's all.

But the children of these
women are innocent.

And so were their victims.

Look, you may as well know.

I never wanted you men here.

You were forced down my throat

by that pushy social worker.

Well, you're here now.

We'll get along just fine,

so long as you do your job

and let me do mine.

"James is almost 12.

He's the man in the family.

Then there's Robert.

He's just learning to write,

and he sends me letters
almost every day.

Joel is my baby.

He's only six.

He gets asthma real bad,

and it scares me I can't be
there when he's hurting.

I have two beautiful
daughters, also.

Patricia always
wanted to be a dancer.

She's very talented,

and I hope she can
have her dream someday.

Martha is my oldest.

She's 14 as her birthday
was only last week.

I haven't seen Martha
since I've been here.

She doesn't write,

but I know that
teenagers are busy

and don't have time
for such things.

She must be turning
into quite a lady,

and I'm sorry I can't be there
and watch it happen.

But I am still
very proud of her.

And love her very much.

All in all,
we're a loving family,

and we're looking
forward to the day

we can all be together again."

Reba, that was very nice.
Thank you.

I think that's about all
we have time for today.

Reba, I'd like to have you
stay after class a few
minutes.

The rest of you are excused.

Reba, are your kids
being well cared for?

Yes, sir.

Best I can tell.

Miss Tucker, my social worker,
looks in on them

and lets me know
how they're getting on.

Do you ever get to see them?

Once in a while.

Robert lives the closest.

His foster mother brought him
to see me a few months ago,

and Miss Tucker gets to
bring Joel sometimes,

and the others write,

and I talk to them
on the phone

every now and then.

Why doesn't Martha write?

I hurt her bad, Mr. Smith.

Lord knows I was only trying
to make life better for
my kids

when I stole some money.

I knew it was
the wrong thing to do,

but I was real desperate
at the time.

But instead of
making things better,

I made them a whole lot worse.

And I don't think Martha
will ever forgive me

for tearing apart our family
like I did.

She's ashamed of having
her mama in jail.

I know it.

She's been telling her friends

I'm in a hospital, instead.

Have you tried calling her?

I try sometimes.

She wouldn't come
to the phone.

Mr. Smith, I thank you
for your concern,

but we're going to manage.

I just got
over six months left,

and then we're going
to be a family again.

[indistinct chatter]

Reba's case is typical.

Children of most of
these women

live in foster homes
all over the state.

There's nobody providing
means for them to travel

to visit their mothers.

So if the foster parents
of the families

don't see fit to bring them,

they don't come.

Jonathan, some women
don't see their children

the entire time
they're in here.

Must make it pretty hard
to keep a family together.

Tell me about it.

And Thanksgiving's coming.

Holidays are really rough.
I mean,

you know, it's hard enough
being separated

from your family,
your loved ones, anytime,

but on holidays...

What happens to these women?

They leave...

Try and pick up their lives.

Some of them are successful,

others have just
lost too much.

A lot of them even lose
their children.

What do you mean?

If a woman with a baby
is incarcerated,

and she has no relatives
to take over,

the baby's put
in a foster home.

Well, foster parents don't
have any incentive

to bring the baby for visits.

So, the court often decides
that the baby should remain

with the parents
it's bonded with.

It allows them to adopt.

Where does the law say

a crime is punishable
by fine, imprisonment,

and the loss of your children?

It doesn't, but it happens...

Every day.

There was this company
over in England,

it's called
the New England Company.

Someone got the bright idea
to send some people over here

to settle down
and search for gold.

They settled in Jamestown.

Mr. Gordon, I always thought
people came over here

to practice their religion,
not look for gold.

Good point. Some of them did.

Those were the Puritans.

They came over a little later,
and settled in New England,

at the Plymouth Colony
in Massachusetts.

Maria?

Mr. Gordon, I think it's time.

Time for what?
We just got started.

I think she means it's
time to make a baby.

A baby?

A baby!

Isn't she adorable?

It's the spitting image
of Maria.

Look at that little
turned-up nose.

I tell you, she looks
healthy enough.

Healthy? You should have
heard her bellow

when she came out.

She's got a pair of good,
sturdy lungs in her.

That's because Maria took
real good care of herself

while she was pregnant.

She got a name yet?

Anita, Maria named her
after her grandmother.

They're real close.

Oh, Melanie, Melanie.
You're just in time.

You got to look at this.

Well, of course, the star of
the show has kinda nodded off

here, but at least
you can take a look.

Oh, boy, she's beautiful.

How's Maria?

Oh, Maria's fine.

She came through
like a trooper.

Yeah, sitting on top
of the world right now.

I'm afraid I've got
some bad news for her.

Bad news?

Yeah. I, uh...

I called the children's
welfare office this afternoon

to let them know that
Maria had delivered.

And they told me that they'd
just done a field report

on Maria's grandmother,

the one who's supposed
to care for the baby

until Maria's released.

And?

And they found the woman
to be old

and semi-invalid

and in no condition
to care for an infant.

Well, what are they gonna do?

I only know what the courts
have done in the past.

They're going
to take Maria's baby.

What are you talking about?
They can't do that.

Yes, they can.

It's the court's opinion
that a baby needs a mother.

This baby has a mother.
Maria's her mother.

But Maria is in jail, Mark.

[inaudible]

[fair music playing]

Daddy!

That looks like fun.

Smith, what are
you doing here?

Well, my place is close by,
I like to take walks.

Nice-looking family
you got there.

I only wish I could spend
more time with them.

Seems like I leave for work
everyday before my daughter
gets up.

And she's in bed asleep
when I get home at night.

I like to take an afternoon
off once in a while,

just so we can be together
as a family.

That's a good idea.

It's important for families
to be together.

You didn't just happen
by here, Smith.

You want something.
What is it?

Oh, not much.

I want you to
approve the reforms

that Melanie
Canner's requested

for the last five years.

Oh, is that all?

The woman's a crusader.
She wants the moon.

No, she doesn't.
She wants a children's center

so mothers can be
with their kids.

It's a basic need in people,
Mr. Inman,

to hold and love, and touch.

Is that too much to ask?

Is it too much to ask
that a boy be able
to hug his mother,

or the mother be able
to wipe away
a little girl's tear?

Contact visitation is
out of the question.

We want a nursery,

so that babies can be raised
in prison by their mothers.

Keep dreaming.

So that Maria Rojas
can keep her baby.

So that Evelyn Walker
and others

can raise and nurture
their children

at a time in their lives
that's so important
to their development.

There is no way.
It just doesn't happen.

You can make it happen.

You're really something,
you know that?

We have experts who
design our penal systems.

You're just a school teacher,
what do you know about it?

Oh, it doesn't take an expert

to see what's happening
to these children.

Of course, I guess it's
a lot easier just to
forget about them.

Prison is no place
for children.

A child's place
is with its mother.

You can separate these
prisoners from society,
Mr. Inman,

but you have no right
to put a wall

between a mother and a child.

You make it sound
like a threat, Smith.

I'm not threatening you,
Mr. Inman.

I'm just giving you something
to think about.

I'll let you
be with your family.

[girl] Mommy,
where's my little pony?

That was fun, Daddy.

Can I ride it again?

Sure, honey. All you want.

Who was that man
you were talking to?

No one important.

[woman on phone]
Operator.

I want to make a collect call

from Reba Williams.

I want to talk
to Martha Williams.

Thank you.

[Martha] Hello.

[woman] Collect call from
Reba Williams
for Martha Williams.

Will you accept the charges?

[Martha] No.

Baby, please, let me
talk to you.

[phone clicks]

[Carrie] Daddy! Daddy!

Daddy!

Daddy!

Daddy!

What's wrong, baby?

I'm scared.

I'm here, baby.
It's all right.

Sweetheart, what...

Sweetheart, I'm here.
It's all right.

Sweetheart, I'm here.
It's all right!

Daddy!

[thumping]

Sweetheart, I'm here.
It's all right!

Daddy!

Sweetheart, I'm here!

Carrie!

Carrie!

Daddy!

Carrie! Carrie!

Carrie!

Tom! What is it?

What's the matter?

Nothing.

I'm all right.
Just a nightmare is all.

I'm fine.

Are you sure?

I'm sure. You go
back to sleep.

I'm going downstairs
to get some milk.

Like a nightmare, isn't it?

Not being able
to hold your child?

Who are you?

Just a teacher.

And you're right.

I don't know much about
the penal system.

But I do know something's
very wrong here.

And you're the only one
who can change it.

So, by this time,
France and Great Britain

were argue over who gets what.

And of course,
a war breaks out.

-The French and Indian war.
-Right.

-Who won?
-The English.

They took, uh... Canada,

all the territory
east of the Mississippi,

except for New Orleans.

Right again.

Look, why don't you guys
read up on the Stamp
Act, okay?

I'll be right back.

Maria, why don't you join
our skull session over here?

We're about to start
the Revolutionary War.

Maria, you're missing
a great chance
to get your diploma,

graduate from high school by
the time you get out of here.

I don't care about that.

It just doesn't
matter anymore.

[door opens]

My Anita.

She's yours, Maria...

Forever.

[applauding and cheering]

What happened?

I wish I knew.

Mr. Inman just called
and he said, "Get the baby,
bring her to Maria."

-Can she keep her here?
-Yes.

We're gonna have
a prison nursery for
all babies under one year.

They can live here
with their mothers.

Miss Canner,
my Allison is six months.

Can she come, too?

She sure can
and that's not all.

The warden said that we can
use the dining hall

as a children's center.

That means from now on,
you can sit
and talk to your kids.

You can hold them, play games
with them, tell secrets,

help them with homework.

Oh, sure, they can
help me with my homework.

[giggling]

I have been trying for years

to get the simplest
reforms established here,

and gotten practically
nothing.

And now he just gives
all of this overnight.

It's a miracle.

Yeah.

It's a miracle.

Well, how's it going?

Well, it's not Rembrandt,
but it's bright.

I think it looks great.

Yeah, so do I.

Doing great.

[woman 1]
Careful on that ladder.

[woman 2 exclaiming]

Look, try and make
a straight line.

Hey, Reba.

Thanksgiving vacation.

You're not gonna spend it
doing your homework, are you?

Oh, no, sir. I'm writing
letters to my kids.

None of them are gonna
be here tomorrow, huh?

No, sir. It's Thanksgiving.

All their foster families
got plans for the day.

When's the last time
you were all together?

Not since I've been here.

Birthdays we've missed...

Holidays...

It's gonna be a long time
before we're together,
Mr. Gordon.

It scares me
to even think about it.

I keep wondering

if we can ever
be a family again,

or are we just gonna be
a houseful of strangers?

[woman] God,
I'm proud of myself.
Look how beautiful this is.

Well, I'd say about 11
o'clock, Mrs. Elliot.

Yeah.

Well, I'm glad.

Okay. You tell Joel we'll
see him then. Bye.

Well, that's it.

Four out of five anyway.

Maybe we ought to try Martha
one more time.

I don't think there's
much use.

She made it pretty clear

she doesn't want
to see her mother.

You can't force
something like this, Mark.

Yeah, I know.

It'd just be so perfect
for Reba.

The whole family, you know.

We had our miracle
with Warden Inman.

Anyway, Reba's going
to be thrilled

to see the rest of her kids.

Yeah, I know.

You're right.

[upbeat music playing]

[inaudible]

Reba, would you
come with me, please?

Is something wrong?

I don't know. Warden Inman
wants to see you.

Do you know what it's about?

He wouldn't say,

but I wouldn't
keep him waiting.

[knocking]

[crying]

Martha Williams?

Yes?

I'm Jonathan Smith.

I work with Melanie Canner
at the prison.

What do you want?

I just wanted to ask you
one more time

if you wouldn't visit
your mother today.

I told the lady no.

I know. I was hoping
you'd reconsider.

Why, because she's my mother?

No.

No, because she loves you
and misses you.

Well, she should've thought
about that before
she wrecked our family.

Don't you think you've
punished your mother enough?

I'm not punishing my mother.

What do you call it?

I call it even.
Look what she did to us.

Your mother made
a bad mistake.

And nobody knows it
better than she does.

She's paid for it, believe me,
she's paid.

And I'm glad.

You know, Martha,
it's all right to hate

what your mother did,

it's even all right
to hate her.

But do you love her?

She ruined everything.

But do you love her?

She deserves everything
she gets for hurting us.

But do you love her?

Answer me.

Do you love your mother?

Answer me.

Yes!

[cries] Yes!

Yes.

[clamoring]

Now let's just hold on
a minute.

What do we always
do before a meal?

Our dear and most gracious
heavenly Father,

we humbly come before you

on this day of Thanksgiving,

to thank you

for all that you have
so abundantly provided.

We thank you for this food--

Mama!

And we-- Hush, Joel.

Not when I'm talking
to the Lord.

Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

I was just wondering
something.

I was wondering how many
families that are out there

on this Thanksgiving
who can't be together?

Yeah...

Wonder how many families there
are out there who are together

and don't realize
how lucky they are?

[theme music playing]