For decades we’ve heard about America’s “dropout crisis.” Meet Dr. Victor Rios, a high school “dropout” turned author and professor, who designs programs to support students who’ve been pushed out of school. To solve our crisis in education, Rios argues, is to shift our understanding of the problem.
“The Pushouts” filmmakers follow Rios and his team of mentors as they work to build an innovative learning environment for young people fighting to succeed despite overwhelming systemic barriers.
“It’s not just about these kids redeeming themselves. It’s also about us redeeming ourselves – turning around the system that has really set up a lot of these young people to fail,” says Rios.
FRONTLINE first met Rios while filming the 1994 classic film, “School Colors” — when he was a struggling student at Berkeley High School. Despite Rios himself being “pushed out” of school, over the past 25 years he’s become a best-selling author and expert on the school-to-prison pipeline.
Now, “The Pushouts” explores how his journey is helping the next generation negotiate a system that seems designed to push them out. Starts 12/20/2019 on PBS.
Directed, Produced and Written by Katie Galloway
Produced and Co-directed by Dawn Valadez
Produced and Co-written by Daniella Brower
Edited by Tracy Quezada and Stephanie Mechura
Executive Produced and Senior Produced by Sharon Tiller
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Funding for “The Pushouts” is provided by:
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Latino Public Television
Just Films-Ford Foundation
California Humanities
Reva and David Logan Foundation
Nancy Blachman
Sundance Institute
Berkeley Film Foundation
Julie Hess & Satch Slavin
Chana Ben Dov
Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Major funding for FRONTLINE is provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation, the Park Foundation, The John and Helen Glessner Family Trust, and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation.
