“Education is Another Form of Freedom” follows Vernon T. Bateman, a community advocate, author, illustrator, and artist, as he delivers a series of invited guest lectures at DePauw University, one of the top 50 National Liberal Arts Colleges in the U.S. Accompanied by Associate Professor and Chair of Education Studies Dr. Derek Ford and joined by Indianapolis Liberation Center volunteer Bridget O’Reilly and IndyStar reporter Mykal McEldowney, Vernon speaks to three classes and lectures at a university-wide luncheon. Discover Vernon’s remarkably diverse and broad knowledge as he engages in dialogue with University community members about a range of topics—with only 10-minute breaks in between each lecture.
Vernon and Derek discuss the course topics on the drive from Indianapolis to DePauw, scenes interspersed throughout the video to guide the viewer along the journey.
“Education is Another Form of Freedom”
The first class, Radical Philosophy and Education, focuses not on what we teach but on how we teach. Students just finished Tyson E. Lewis and Igor Jasinski’s 2023 book, “Rethinking Philosophy for Children.” As students taught Vernon some of the specific themes and concepts in the book, an organic dialogue emerged about the infinite source of human potential.
Vernon and his team rush to The Wood Study in the new Roy O. West Library for a university-wide luncheon. After Prof. Ford introduces him as a friend who, they say, “is way smarter than me,” Vernon speaks about his work advocating for the community—and the difficult conditions under which he does so. He talks about writing his first children’s book in prison, a book that made it past prison bars years before Vernon. Predoctoral Scholar Kandyce Anderson, audibly grateful for Vernon’s presence, asks about his artistic process, which is open-ended for Vernon who “is a student of my own art.” This is when Ford reveals some of the absurd obstacles they were forced to overcome to let Vernon deliver the lectures.
The second class, “Deconstructing Difference,” attracts students across the university. Vernon helps prepare students for their final project, which entails translating a dense theoretical work into a children’s book. As the students engage the five children’s books Vernon published (thus far), he shares his thoughts on art and imperfection.
Students in the last class of the day, “Art, Politics, and Education,” were grateful that Vernon took time to provide one-on-one and small-group feedback on their upcoming assignments.
Vernon is always looking to the future; he is what some might call a visionary. As a result, his passion for education is tied to his passion for improving the livelihoods and communities of the next generation. His authentic interactions with students that close out the day—and the documentary—testify to the limitless contributions Vernon will continue to make to our world.
To learn more about and support Vernon, visit baby22gunsafetyllc.com or freevernon.org.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to DePauw University’s Academic Affairs and Education Studies Department for funding the events, to the students enrolled in EDUC 275: Radical Philosophy and Education, EDUC 223: Deconstructing Difference, and EDUC 197: Art, Politics, and Education for participating in the documentary, which the hard work of Liberation Center volunteers made possible.
Thank you to Vernon T. Bateman for sharing his precious time to enlighten us all. None of this would have been possible without Vernon’s perseverance, family, community, energy, compassion, and motivation to improve our world.
Credits
Vernon T. Bateman is an artist, illustrator, author, educator, community advocate, and future exoneree. Among his many advocacy endeavors, he founded Baby22GunSafety LLC, a project dedicated to bringing the reality of gun violence to light and allowing the victims of gun violence to contribute to solving its root causes. Bateman has published five children’s books—including If Bullets Could Cry and They Can’t Hurt Me No More–and his art has been exhibited at the Skyline Club, District Theatre, and Indiana Landmarks.
Dr. Derek Ford is Associate Professor and Chair of the Education Studies Department and Coordinator of the Peace and Conflict Studies Program at DePauw University. Ford has written eight books and published over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Bridget O’Reilly is a freelance marketer, photographer, writer, and organizer with the Indianapolis Liberation Center. She is passionate about storytelling and social justice and focuses on building narratives that drive engagement and amplify marginalized voices. Her work bridges creativity and strategy across industries and platforms, all committed to community empowerment.
Mykal McEldowney is a Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award-winning photojournalist at IndyStar.
Music: “A New World is in Birth,” by Marcel Cartier and Agent of Change.
Featured photo: Vernon T. Bateman in dialogue with students in “Radical Philosophy and Education. Credit: Indianapolis Liberation Center.
