An ‘Inside-Out’ education: Vanderbilt Law School screens ‘Classroom 4,’ a look at prison education

October 29, 2026 - 18:28

"Classroom 4," a 2025 documentary short that focuses on a college course taught inside an Oregon prison, was screened at the Vanderbilt Law School on Oct. 27. The event was co-hosted by the law school's George Barrett Social Justice Program and Criminal Justice Program, along with Vanderbilt's Undergraduate Department of Cinema and Media Arts, the Department of Communication Studies and other campus partners.

The film offers an intimate look at what happens when higher education moves behind prison walls. Rather than treating incarceration as a simple matter of punishment, "Classroom 4" follows students as they grapple with challenging coursework, build relationships with instructors and confront the ways learning can reshape their sense of self. The documentary takes its name from the prison classroom where the course meets, a space that becomes both a literal and symbolic site of possibility.

Organizers said the screening was designed to spark conversation about the role of education in the criminal justice system and the barriers that currently limit access to college programs for incarcerated people. A discussion followed the film, giving attendees a chance to reflect on the themes it raises and to consider how law students and future policymakers might approach these issues.

The event reflects a growing interest among law schools in examining incarceration beyond doctrine and case law, connecting students with the human realities of the system they study. By bringing "Classroom 4" to campus, the hosts aimed to widen the lens on what justice looks like and who gets to participate in it.