However, a school cannot operate in isolation from a community. The schools in Newark — as well as schools in de-populating rural communities in crisis — will reflect the larger environment. Is this a good thing? Nope. But the truth of the matter is, schools won’t save a community, the community has to save the schools.
Wrong again!
you repeat the same error.
A rotten community won’t “save a school” nor will a rotten school “save a community”. You need to have high standards in each and reinforce each other.
That’s exactly what I meant. Go back and re-read.
However, when you say “high standards,” you make it sound as if all that’s missing is the will power and determination.
What’s missing in places like Newark and many parts of rural America is more than just will power. They have crumbling infrastructures of industrial, business and human resources. These places won’t be coming back to their former glory any time soon and the folks who live there are well aware of it.