Disrupting the School to Prison Pipeline | Benjamin Williams | TEDxFoggyBottom

Through the lens of restorative justice, Dr. Benjamin Williams discusses using the school system as a tool for empowering young men of color. Ron Brown College Preparatory High School was created to do just that. Dr. Williams, the principal of Ron Brown, explores the benefits and challenges of this revolutionary approach to education. Benjamin Williams, Ph.D. is the current and founding principal of Ron Brown College Preparatory High School, an all-male public high school in Washington, DC. Prior to this position he served as the Associate Principal at School Without Walls @ Francis Stevens in Washington, DC for two years. Dr. Williams served as an assistant principal, Dean of Students, and Social Studies Teacher in Albemarle County, VA and Newark, NJ. As a result of the discipline, courage, and drive his teachers, coaches, and administrators instilled in him, Dr. Williams knew he eventually wanted to have that same impact on a young person’s life. He stays motivated by seeing the genuine joy and understanding that students demonstrate when they realize they can accomplish or overcome anything that they set their minds to, constantly preaching that it is not where you begin but where you end. Dr. Williams received his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate of Philosophy in Leadership and Administration from the University of Virginia. He also has an Executive Master’s of Leadership from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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