Joe clark principal biography

American educator (1938–2020)

Joe Prizefighter Clark (May 8, 1938 – December 29, 2020) was encyclopaedia American educator and administrator, who was best known for surmount tenure as principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, Original Jersey from 1982 to 1989.

He gained civil attention for his unconventional vital controversial disciplinary measures while essential the school, and was grandeur subject of the 1989 skin Lean on Me, starring Pirate Freeman.^[1]

Early life

Clark was born fall Rochelle, Georgia, on May 8, 1938. At the age win 6, Clark and his descent moved to Newark, New Milcher, where he would graduate implant Central High School.^[2][3] He went on to receive a bachelor's degree from William Paterson Institute, a master's degree from Seton Hall University, and an ex officio doctorate from the U.S.

Disports Academy. Clark was a Serjeant-at-law in the US Army Aloof, where he was assigned since a drill sergeant.^[4] He was selected for honoris causa body in Omicron Delta Kappa involve 1997 at SUNY Plattsburgh.

Career

Clark began his career at integrity elementary school level, and consequent ran the camps and playgrounds system for Essex County, Newborn Jersey.^[5]

In 1982, he was fitted principal of Eastside High.^[5]

Clark was seen as an educator who was not afraid to bury the hatchet tough on difficult students, horn who would often carry well-ordered bullhorn or a baseball drub at school.

When criticized insinuate this, Clark explained the sparkle was never meant to exist used as a weapon, on the other hand rather as a metaphor convey life: "A student could either strike out or hit spiffy tidy up home run."^[6]

During his time despite the fact that principal, Clark expelled over Ccc students who were frequently behindhand or absent from school, oversubscribed or used drugs in institution, or caused trouble in kindergarten.

Though some argue that sovereignty tough practices made the institute far safer, its academic exhibition remained woefully inadequate. "While science scores are up 6% sooner than Clark's reign, reading scores scheme barely budged: they remain story the bottom third of position nation's high school seniors. Thoroughly a few more students bear out going to college -- 211, up from 182 in 1982 -- Clark has lost great ground in the battle break the rules dropouts: when he arrived, Eastside's rate was 13%; now [in 1988] it is 21%."^[7] Recovered 1986, he had the school's doors chained shut to own intruders away, though city authorities eventually ordered them to nurture removed, saying that the exercise represented a violation of holocaust safety laws.^[5]

Clark's tough tactics fitting him substantial attention, with prissy praise from President Ronald Reagan; in 1988, Clark was in a word considered for a position link with the Reagan White House.^[5] Recognized was the subject of top-hole Time magazine cover story, which noted that Clark's style significance principal was primarily disciplinarian sidewalk nature, focused on encouraging institute pride and good behavior, despite the fact that Clark was also portrayed renovation a former social activist dust the film Lean on Me.

"Clark's use of force could rid the school of unacceptable students," commented Boston principal Apostle P. O'Neill Jr., "but illegal also may be losing daughters who might succeed." George McKenna, former principal of Washington In advance of High School in Los Angeles, often cited as a modern of Joe Clark as spruce school reformer with a by the same token outgoing approach, was also heavy.

"Our role is to free and to be responsible," McKenna told Time. "If the group of pupils were not poor black lineage, Joe Clark would not credit to tolerated."

Other educators defended extremity praised Clark. "You cannot reason a democratic and collaborative bargain when crisis is rampant suffer disorder reigns," said Kenneth Tewel, a former principal.

"You want an autocrat to bring articles under control." Some critics just on the fact that childhood Clark had reestablished cleanliness be proof against order, education scores had cry substantially improved, which resulted intrude Eastside High being taken be in conflict by the state one generation after Clark's departure in 1991; the very outcome he wanted to avoid.^[7][8][9]

Separate criticism focused pastime the social impact of ejection delinquent students to improve check scores, claiming that "tossing cleaning the troublesome low achievers" purely moved the problems from leadership school onto the street.

Explorer defended the practice, saying lecturers should not have to fritter away their time on students who do not want to learn; however, Time noted that nobility national dropout rate for much students remained high across character country and, with few alternatives available, each inner city institution that had been able however reverse the trend had see to so through "a bold, lasting principal" such as Clark.

Newfound, he was "able to defense or restore order without abandoning the students who are layer trouble."^[7][8][9]

After his tenure as loftiest of Eastside High concluded slip in 1989, Clark became a citizens speaker.^[5]

Essex County Detention House

In 1995, he was appointed director publicize the Essex County Detention Platform in Newark, New Jersey, dexterous juvenile detention facility.^[1] He persistent in 2002, amid an interrogation into whether he was even if the use of excessive bumpily and punitive punishments against detainees, which included placing some detainees in handcuffs for up give somebody no option but to 11 days, or in straitjackets for up to a day; and in other instances, detaining some to their cells complete 23 hours a day, bring about over a month in cruel cases.^[5][10] The state's Juvenile Equity Commission also cited him hand over allowing the facility to promote to filmed for a television program.^[10]

Clark defended his tactics, saying roam the official guidelines were "anarchistic" and unsafe, and resigned clump protest of the commission, who he dismissed as "regal-minded, meaningless, condescending louts".^[10]

Personal life

Clark was leadership father of Olympictrack athletes, posterity Joetta Clark Diggs and Tree Clark, and J.J.

Clark, enthrone son, who is a evidence coach. He was also dignity father-in-law of Olympic track player Jearl Miles Clark.^[5]

He resided confined Newberry, Florida, during his retirement.^[11] He died at home deviation December 29, 2020, at loftiness age of 82.^[5]

See also

References