Joe Louis Clark

Joe Louis Clark (May 8, 1938 – December 29, 2020) was an American educator and administrator, who was best known for his tenure as principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey from 1982 to 1989. He gained national attention for his unconventional and controversial disciplinary measures while leading the school, and was the subject of the 1989 film Lean on Me, starring Morgan Freeman.

Clark was born in Rochelle, Georgia, on May 8, 1938. At the age of 6, Clark moved with his family to Newark, New Jersey, where he would graduate from Central High School. He went on to receive a bachelor's degree from William Paterson College, a master's degree from Seton Hall University, and an honorary doctorate from the U.S. Sports Academy. Clark was a Sergeant in the US Army Reserve, where he was assigned as a drill sergeant. He was selected for honoris causa membership in Omicron Delta Kappa in 1997 at SUNY Plattsburgh.

Clark began his career at the elementary school level, and later ran the camps and playgrounds system for Essex County, New Jersey.

In 1982, he was appointed principal of Eastside High.

Clark was seen as an educator who was not afraid to get tough on difficult students, one who would often carry a bullhorn or a baseball bat at school. When criticized for this, Clark explained the bat was never meant to be used as a weapon, but rather as a metaphor for life: "A student could either strike out or hit a home run."

During his time as principal, Clark expelled over 300 students who were frequently tardy or absent from school, sold or used drugs in school, or caused trouble in school. Though some argue that his tough practices made the school far safer, its academic accomplishments remained woefully inadequate. "While math scores are up 6% during Clark's reign, reading scores have barely budged: they remain in the bottom third of the nation's high school seniors. While a few more students are going to college -- 211, up from 182 in 1982 -- Clark has lost considerable ground in the battle against dropouts: when he arrived, Eastside's rate was 13%; now [in 1988] it is 21%." In 1986, he had the school's doors chained shut to keep intruders away, though city officials eventually ordered them to be removed, saying that the practice represented a violation of fire safety laws.

Clark's tough tactics earned him substantial attention, with particular praise from President Ronald Reagan; in 1988, Clark was briefly considered for a position in the Reagan White House. He was the subject of a Time magazine cover story, which noted that Clark's style as principal was primarily disciplinarian in nature, focused on encouraging school pride and good behavior, although Clark was also portrayed as a former social activist in the film Lean on Me. "Clark's use of force may rid the school of unwanted students," commented Boston principal Thomas P. O'Neill Jr., "but he also may be losing kids who might succeed." George McKenna, former principal of Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles, often cited as a contemporary of Joe Clark as a school reformer with a similarly outgoing approach, was also critical. "Our role is to rescue and to be responsible," McKenna told Time. "If the students were not poor black children, Joe Clark would not be tolerated."

Other educators defended and praised Clark. "You cannot use a democratic and collaborative style when crisis is rampant and disorder reigns," said Kenneth Tewel, a former principal. "You need an autocrat to bring things under control." Some critics focused on the fact that while Clark had reestablished cleanliness and order, education scores had not substantially improved, which resulted in Eastside High being taken over by the state one year after Clark's departure in 1991, the very outcome he sought to avoid.