“The Wire” Goes to School at Johns Hopkins

The HBO show “The Wire” is the topic of a new class at Johns Hopkins University, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Designed for freshmen and sophomores, the class was introduced this semester and uses the Baltimore-based show as a way to talk about the problems big cities in America face. Students got some big-time guest speakers including former Baltimore commissioner Ed Norris, an actor on the show, as well as show creator David Simon.

The class is taught by Peter Beilenson, an adjunct professor, and uses the 60 episodes of the show as a textbook.

For their midterm assignment, students visited and wrote about needle-exchange sites and juvenile justice centers. And for their final assignments students will write memos suggesting fixes to city problems.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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