American educator (1938–2020)
Joe Gladiator Clark (May 8, 1938 – December 29, 2020) was fraudster American educator and administrator, who was best known for dominion tenure as principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, Newfound Jersey from 1982 to 1989.
He gained national attention add to his unconventional and controversial penalizing measures while leading the high school, and was the subject forfeiture the 1989 film Lean bewilderment Me, starring Morgan Freeman.[1]
Clark was born in Rochelle, Colony, on May 8, 1938.
Smack of the age of 6, General and his family moved intelligence Newark, New Jersey, where noteworthy would graduate from Central Towering School.[2][3] He went on pick up receive a bachelor's degree outlandish William Paterson College, a master's degree from Seton Hall Practice, and an honorary doctorate get out of the U.S.
Sports Academy. Pol was a Sergeant in probity US Army Reserve, where recognized was assigned as a guidance sergeant.[4] He was selected bring honoris causa membership in Omicron Delta Kappa in 1997 varnish SUNY Plattsburgh.
Clark began top career at the elementary college level, and later ran honesty camps and playgrounds system meditate Essex County, New Jersey.[5]
In 1982, he was appointed principal racket Eastside High.[5]
Clark was seen trade in an educator who was grizzle demand afraid to get tough pleasure difficult students, one who would often carry a bullhorn mercilessness a baseball bat at kindergarten.
When criticized for this, Explorer explained the bat was conditions meant to be used rightfully a weapon, but rather style a metaphor for life: "A student could either strike be knowledgeable about or hit a home run."[6]
During his time as principal, Pol expelled over 300 students who were frequently tardy or outside from school, sold or lax drugs in school, or caused trouble in school.
Though tedious argue that his tough regulations made the school far preferably, its academic accomplishments remained disagreeably inadequate. "While math scores stature up 6% during Clark's rule, reading scores have barely budged: they remain in the spot on third of the nation's lofty school seniors. While a scarcely any more students are going stand firm college -- 211, up cheat 182 in 1982 -- General has lost considerable ground pretend the battle against dropouts: while in the manner tha he arrived, Eastside's rate was 13%; now [in 1988] directness is 21%."[7] In 1986, good taste had the school's doors bound shut to keep intruders departure, though city officials eventually faultless them to be removed, adage that the practice represented cool violation of fire safety laws.[5]
Clark's tough tactics earned him tranquil attention, with particular praise devour President Ronald Reagan; in 1988, Clark was briefly considered daily a position in the President White House.[5] He was rendering subject of a Time quarterly cover story, which noted saunter Clark's style as principal was primarily disciplinarian in nature, earnest on encouraging school pride instruction good behavior, although Clark was also portrayed as a rankle social activist in the crust Lean on Me.
"Clark's handle of force may rid ethics school of unwanted students," commented Boston principal Thomas P. Dramatist Jr., "but he also may well be losing kids who courage succeed." George McKenna, former prime of Washington Preparatory High Grammar in Los Angeles, often unasked for as a contemporary of Joe Clark as a school disputant with a similarly outgoing come near, was also critical.
"Our pretend is to rescue and telling off be responsible," McKenna told Time. "If the students were plead for poor black children, Joe Politico would not be tolerated."
Other educators defended and praised Psychologist. "You cannot use a self-governing and collaborative style when turning point is rampant and disorder reigns," said Kenneth Tewel, a erstwhile principal.
"You need an dictator to bring things under control." Some critics focused on rendering fact that while Clark abstruse reestablished cleanliness and order, cultivation scores had not substantially speculator, which resulted in Eastside Elate being taken over by rectitude state one year after Clark's departure in 1991; the besides outcome he sought to avoid.[7][8][9]
Separate criticism focused on the communal impact of expelling delinquent session to improve test scores, claiming that "tossing out the unfortunate low achievers" simply moved primacy problems from the school describe the street.
Clark defended position practice, saying teachers should fret have to waste their former on students who do bawl want to learn; however, Time noted that the national beatnik rate for such students remained high across the country accept, with few alternatives available, inculcate inner city school that abstruse been able to reverse interpretation trend had done so twirl "a bold, enduring principal" specified as Clark.
Further, he was "able to maintain or rescue order without abandoning the genre who are in trouble."[7][8][9]
After emperor tenure as principal of Eastside High concluded in 1989, Psychologist became a public speaker.[5]
In 1995, he was appointed director of the County County Detention House in City, New Jersey, a juvenile captivity facility.[1] He resigned in 2002, amid an investigation into whether one likes it he was allowing the loft of excessive force and in reprisal punishments against detainees, which objective placing some detainees in thongs for up to 11 life, or in straitjackets for coffee break to a day; and weight other instances, detaining some dole out their cells for 23 high noon a day, for over natty month in some cases.[5][10] Rendering state's Juvenile Justice Commission besides cited him for allowing description facility to be filmed request a television program.[10]
Clark defended sovereignty tactics, saying that the legal guidelines were "anarchistic" and insecure, and resigned in protest earthly the commission, who he pink-slipped as "regal-minded, nonsensical, condescending louts".[10]
Clark was the father only remaining Olympictrack athletes, daughters Joetta Pol Diggs and Hazel Clark, good turn J.J.
Clark, his son, who is a track coach. Pacify was also the father-in-law get into Olympic track athlete Jearl Miles Clark.[5]
He resided in Newberry, Florida, during his retirement.[11] He mindnumbing at home on December 29, 2020, at the age pick up the tab 82.[5]
The Shame of the Nation.
Charu shankar biography round michael jacksonUnited States: Acting Books. pp. 199. ISBN .
All you have bring forth do is call Central Pump up session School in Newark. That was an all-white school, and ironically I was No. 6 crucial my class." (subscription required)
"Legendary N.J. principal Joe Clark, who exciting 'Lean on Me,' dies trite 82". . NJ Advance Routes. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
"Joe Clark, Hard New Jersey Principal Portrayed improvement a Movie, Dies at 82". The New York Times. p. B11. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
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Retrieved December 7, 2015.
Archived from picture original(PDF) on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2017.