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 began his career at the elementary school level, and later ran the camps and playgrounds system for Essex County, New Jersey.
"[7] 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 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."
[7][8][9] Separate criticism focused on the social impact of expelling delinquent students to improve test scores, claiming that "tossing out the troublesome low achievers" simply moved the problems from the school onto the street.
[10] Clark defended his tactics, saying that the official guidelines were "anarchistic" and unsafe, and resigned in protest of the commission, who he dismissed as "regal-minded, nonsensical, condescending louts".