Renowned teacher and author Vivian Paley became bothered by the number of times she heard children in her kindergarten classroom say, “You can’t play!” She saw that ostracized and rejected children became sad to the point of losing interest in learning and playing, and decided to introduce a new classroom rule—"You Can’t Say You Can’t Play."

In Belonging, Oklahoma teacher Terry Varnell shows and tells how she uses the “You Can’t Say You Can’t Play” rule in her kindergarten classroom to create community, improve academic performance and eliminate behavior problems. Vivian Paley and other experts in human development share their wisdom and more about the research behind the rule.

Belonging is an extended excerpt of REJECT documentary. Running time 57 minutes.

“Vivian Gussin Paley’s book ‘You Can’t Say You Can’t Play’ is arresting in its title, magical in its appeal, and inspiring in its message...[It] illustrates how the teacher’s art can attack the evil of exclusion at its childhood root. Now, Mrs. Paley, we need your help in weeding out the pernicious practices that afflict the adults of our exclusionary society.”

— Derrick Bell, New York Times Book Review