The Pushouts focuses on the alarming rate of high school dropouts and the critical state of public education through the story of Victor Rios. Rios was a gang member in West Oakland who was headed for a life of incarceration when he met an inspirational teacher. Now a professor at UC Santa Barbara, he and his mentor dedicate their lives to motivating young Mexican and African-American teens to realize their potential.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Latino Public Broadcasting, California Humanites, The Reva and David Logan Foundation, Ford Foundation / JustFilms, Chicago Media Project, The Berkeley FILM Foundation, Sundance Institute