Joe Clark Leader Analysis

Leader- They make decisions or act as the funnel for the decisions of higher authorities. At the beginning of the movie when Joe Clark entered Eastside High School, as the principal, he made a lot of decisions on how the school would be cleaned up, run, and what punishments would be given out. A specific example of this is when Joe Clark made all the students learn the school song, so if they got in trouble for something they would have to sing it.

Crisis Manager- When something happens a teacher cannot handle, the principal is fully briefed about the crises, real or potential, and how to deal with them effectively. At the beginning, the entire school was a crisis. When Kid Ray got in a fight with a student, who was previously expelled, Joe

Clark came in and ended a fight, that would have resulted in Kid Ray’s death or a Kid Ray having a life threatening injury, because the former student had a knife. This then lead to Joe Clark chaining the doors locked, so other students could not get back in and harm those at the school.
Judge- Makes decisions about new teacher’s qualifications to teach in school, decides whether their performance merits a rehire, and they can write recommendations for or against teachers.

When the choir director, Mrs. Elliot, would not listen to Joe Clark’s directions about teaching all the students at Eastside High the school song, he suspended her. As well as Mr. Darnell, the football coach, but he gave Mr. Darnell a second chance because of his commitment to Eastside High School.

Buffer- They are the in between man between parents and teachers, students and teachers,and the higher authorities and teachers. Joe Clark acted as a buffer between the state and the teachers. Mr. Clark was told that if they did not get up to 75% of Eastside students passing the basic skills test in one year, then the state would take over. He revealed that information to the teachers and helped them change the school, so they could accomplish that goal or 75% of their students or more passing the basic skills test.

Sacrificial Lamb- If the community, the teachers, or the school board becomes dissatisfied with what is happening in a particular school, the school’s principal is vulnerable and receives the blame, and can be removed because of this. When the fire chief caught Joe Clark for chaining the doors locked, he was the one who was sent to prison and had to deal with the consequences of breaking the fire code. He was also almost removed from his job because of that

incident.