The Michigan Department of Corrections does not allow inmates any books written in a language other than English unless they're dictionaries. The ACLU of Michigan wants to change that.
In a letter sent to MDOC this week, the nonprofit says the policy violates the first amendment.
Ramis Wadood is an attorney with the ACLU
“I think at the heart of the foreign language, material bans is discrimination. And it well, it's great that they removed the ban on foreign language dictionaries, the heart of the issue of discrimination still exists as to other foreign language materials.
Wadood says they're not asking the department to make a unilateral decision on all non-English language materials, but to instead take each request for these materials on a case-by-case basis.
A spokesperson for MDOC said they’ve begun a process to revise their policies on banned books.
