It is true that to really fix the schools we must fix much of what ails us as a society. Of course the problem of the schools cannot be addressed in isolation, but this is not to say that we shouldn't take steps now to rethink the education system both what is done at schools and how it is done. There are numerous examples of teachers, administrators, and parents who work together to create a school of the future. In so doing they change the context. A good example is the River Oaks School in Oakville, Ontario, which I described in The Digital Economy.
Most students have a desktop computer, used for interactive, self-paced learning.
The curriculum has been changed significantly, as has the role of the teacher - all for the better according to everyone involved, including parents. The result was improved student learning and higher student motivation. The River Oaks project didn't solve the problems of the community, but it has helped change the community by improving community involvement in the welfare of children. It not only changed the children, but the attitudes of parents and local businesses, for the better. Schools are a product of economic, social, and values structures.