When we exclude students, parents or each other from the learning process of life, a tremendous amount is lost. In the wake of the tragic event in Parkland, FL, I am reminded of a high school student I worked with years ago. The school administrator called me shortly after I met him, informing me he had been expelled for threatening to harm another student who had been relentlessly teasing him. He had autism. I asked if anyone in the school was teaching a more positive way to

In a crime-ridden, urban area, I watched a teacher lead a group of sixth graders with such dignity and grace that it felt like he was single-handedly passing out futures. It felt so foreign, I was mesmerized. The students sat at individual desks, facing the front of the classroom. They quietly raised their hands when the teacher posed questions or asked for volunteers. They watched the teacher and their peers write on the board, and copied responses on to the papers on their