Episode Details

Michael Santos spent more than 26 years in prison after organizing a cocaine scheme as a young man. He tells principals how a book of philosophy and a three-pronged plan to educate himself, contribute to society and build a support network turned his life around, and why at-risk students need the same message.

In 1988, convicted and facing life without parole, Santos pulled a two-volume philosophy anthology off a county jail book cart. He read how Socrates chose to stay and serve his sentence with dignity. That story set him on a path he followed through 9,500 days.

What you'll learn

• Teach students the three-pronged plan Santos built: educate yourself, contribute to society, and build a support network of people who believe in you.
• Show kids that a path to a better life exists, since Santos says nobody showed him one as a student.
• Ask what society would expect of you, as Santos did in his cell, then build a plan you can work toward every day.
• Help students run toward the person they want to become instead of away from their mistakes.
• Connect with every student, because Santos says every human being has the potential to become something great.

Chapters

• 0:00 Why a principal podcast hosts a former prisoner
• 2:05 How Michael Santos ended up in prison
• 6:35 What drew him to the fast life
• 12:21 The transformation in the county jail
• 16:01 Finding Socrates on a jail book cart
• 19:41 Why corrections extinguish hope and what he did
• 20:39 The three-pronged plan to educate, contribute, connect
• 22:57 Why the plan works for everyone

Times are for the episode without ads. Your player may be off by the length of any ads.

Questions this episode answers

Why do some teenagers make reckless choices even when their families are fine?
Santos says he grew up with every opportunity but chased a fast life. He looked at today, not the future, wanted people to see him as the big man, and ignored the link between quick money and handcuffs. Teachers, coaches and parents all tried to influence him.

How can someone change when they are stuck in a bad situation?
Santos, facing life without parole, imagined what society would expect of him. He built a three-pronged plan to educate himself, contribute to society and build a support network. He says it gave him energy and discipline for each of his 9,500 days in prison.

About Michael Santos

Former prisoner who served 9,500 days, earned a bachelor's and a master's in prison, wrote books and now hosts a podcast for people who are incarcerated.

Links and resources

• Michael Santos podcast
• PBS NewsHour profile
• NBC Bay Area Proud profile
• San Francisco Chronicle profile
• Tweet: string out of the labyrinth
• Tweet: every human can become amazing
• Tweet: not hard enough
• Tweet: defining success
• Tweet: path to a better life
• Tweet: labyrinth quote, preview link

Working on this at your school? Get a free preview of a 10-week leadership pathway built from episodes like this one at transformativeprincipal.com/start.

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