The Pushouts

Institute History

Description

“I was in prison before I was even born.” So begins the story of Dr. Victor Rios who, by 15, was a “dropout” and gang member with a death wish. But when a teacher’s quiet persistence, a mentor’s moral conviction, and his best friend’s murder converge, Rios’s path takes an unexpected turn. Rios’s story, interwoven with the stories of his mentors, proteges and, most importantly, 40 “pushout” youth in Watts, California, reveals that young people we know as “dropouts” are often pushed out of school by systemic forces beyond their control.

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