Abstract
Stockton yet another year voted as second worst city in the nation tackles issues like poverty, crime, unemployment and gangs. When Pittman Elementary School was opened in the heart of downtown Stockton it was vandalized on a weekly bases and the community did not respect the school and what it had to offer. So what can be done when a community rejects a learning institute? Sources of Data My sources of data regarding Stockton’s poverty, crime, and joblessness comes from this year’s Forbes article (Badenhausen, 2009) rating best and worst cities to live in the nation. Furthermore, student statistics came from California Dropout Research Project form UC Santa Barbara. Conclusions Reached A community can be united through a school. As the children learn to respect and take ownership of Pittman so do the parents, brothers, sisters, extended family and friends. Helping students understand their own culture or another culture foments relationships of respect while reinforcing their own identity in their culture, community and school.