Because teachers too, come predominantly from America’s lousy educational system.
I’m a little demoralized, but it’s not the pay, nor the administration. My pay is okay enough for me, and my principals have all been supportive. I’m demoralized because my students are mostly apathetic non-readers whose parents have bought them every electronic toy on the market, but never a book.
Because the criteria for ranking them differ, and both are meaningless.
Most polls for “best public high schools” include “diversity” as a strong plus score, when everyone knows it’s a negative. Many also include “spending per pupil”, which would make Washington DC and Camden NJ public schools the best on earth.