Heart of Stone

By profiling New Jersey principal Ronald G. Stone's efforts to rehabilitate a troubled high school in Newark, filmmaker Beth Toni Kruvant winds up telling the story of a whole community. At Weequahic High School, Stone begins each day by strapping on a bulletproof vest, while his students start theirs by walking through metal detectors. The school, he explains, is in an area “controlled by Bloods.” From 1930–1960, the neighborhood consisted primarily of middle-class Jewish and African-American families. Says one former resident, “Growing up in the Weequahic area was like living in Camelot. Everybody was accepting. You didn't see color; you saw who the person was.” In the 1950s, however, racial conflict crept in, leading to the headline-making riots of 1967. Stone receives support from the WHS Alumni Association to raise funds for college scholarships and educational trips, noting that “the school has to be the parent ... the police ... the psychologist. It has to be all these things that, at one time, used to be the responsibility of the family.” Author and alumnus Philip Roth appears briefly to pay tribute to his hometown, while defense attorney Richie Roberts, who inspired Russell Crowe's character in American Gangster, speaks about the region's racial past. Kruvant also interviews police officers, teachers, politicians, and students, including rival gang members. An inspiring story about a committed educator, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)