#72: How Early Literacy Prevents the School to Prison Pipeline with Hilderbrand Pelzer III
From “Just Acting Out” to Crying for Help: What Struggling Readers Are Really Telling Us
I’ll never forget the first time I saw a student completely shut down during a reading lesson. Arms crossed. Head on the desk. Completely unreachable. At first glance, it looked like defiance—but something deeper was happening. That child wasn’t being difficult. He was drowning.
In this episode, Hildebrand Pelzer III—an award-winning educator and former prison principal—explains what many of us feel in our bones but can’t always articulate: that reading failure is often the silent trigger behind school misbehavior, dropout rates, and yes… even incarceration.
And that means one thing loud and clear: teachers are essential. You are not “just teaching phonics.” You are giving kids access to choices, confidence, and a completely different life trajectory.
The Real Cause Behind the School to Prison Pipeline
We often hear the school to prison pipeline described as a behavior problem. More suspensions. More police. More metal detectors. But Hildebrand challenges that narrative head-on.
“The pipeline isn’t about behavior. It’s a reading problem—and it starts early.”
What he saw over and over in juvenile and adult correctional settings were bright, bold young people who couldn’t read. Couldn’t fill out a form. Couldn’t write a simple sentence. Many of them were reading at a first- or second-grade level by the time they entered high school—or prison.
And when kids can’t read, they find other ways to cope. Misbehavior. Delinquency. Detachment.
But it never started with the behavior—it started with reading.
What Teachers and Leaders Can Do Right Now
As Hildebrand shared, the solution is not waiting until middle school or high school to “catch” at-risk students. The solution is:
✅ Equipping teachers early.
✅ Building school-wide systems that support science-backed reading instruction.
✅ Recognizing that data tells a story—and it’s our job to listen.
Here are a few practical steps he recommends for making an immediate impact:
1. Reframe behavior issues as literacy issues.
When students act out during reading time, that’s communication. Instead of jumping to consequences, ask: What skills are they missing?
2. Train every teacher in the science of reading.
If they didn’t learn how to teach reading in their university program (and 75% didn’t), it’s not their fault—but it is the school leader’s responsibility to get them what they need.
3. Use your reading data—then take action.
Look across grade levels, classrooms, and student groups. Where are the breakdowns happening? Who’s slipping through the cracks? Use that data to direct PD, coaching, and intervention supports.
4. Build teacher confidence to build student confidence.
When teachers feel equipped, students feel safe. They start to trust the process. And that’s when the magic happens.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
- Why literacy—not discipline—is the real root of the school to prison pipeline.
- The emotional toll of illiteracy—and how it shows up as misbehavior.
- Why school leaders must be vulnerable learners first if they want to create real change.
- How the right reading instruction early on can rewrite a child’s future.
Bringing It All Together
This conversation isn’t easy—but it’s necessary. Because while the stats are sobering, the hope lies in your hands. Every time you model decoding strategies, celebrate growth, or choose connection over consequence, you are actively disrupting the school to prison pipeline.
And that ripple effect? It’s immeasurable.
You may not see it today. But it’s there—in every confident reader you help build.
Want More Support? Join The Science of Reading Formula
If you’re ready to feel confident in your reading instruction and help every student thrive, we’d love to support you inside The Science of Reading Formula. It’s where teachers like you get the tools, training, and encouragement to change lives—one phoneme at a time.
LINKS
Hilderbrand Pelzer III Website / LinkedIn / Instagram
Become a Science of Reading Formula member!
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