What if one were born without straps on one’s boots—how can one pull oneself up by the bootstraps? As a child VR experienced and overcame pushout and university probation. The talk focuses defining students by what they contribute, not what they lack — especially those with difficult upbringings, says educator Victor Rios. Interweaved with his personal tale of perseverance as an inner-city youth, Rios identifies three straightforward strategies to shift attitudes in education and calls for fellow educators to see “at-risk” students as “at-promise” individuals brimming with resilience, character and grit.
Related Resources

Building Restorative Justice Practitioner Consensus for Better Student Health
This report from the Restorative Schools Vision Project collects research and experiences from nearly 200 Restorative Justice practitioners across California to identify core concepts and supportive practices for the school ... MORE

Model Code Comparison Tool
The Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC) Model Code Comparison Tool presents communities with recommended language for alternatives to school pushout and zero-tolerance discipline practices. It highlights questions you can answer ... MORE

Student Rights in School? There’s an App for That!
This website and video provides an overview of the Student Rights App created by the Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC) for the students of Boston Public Schools. This app is ... MORE