Newspapers / The AC Phoenix News … / April 1, 1990, edition 1 / Page 13
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AC Phoenix, April 1990, Page 13 PHOENIX OP-ED, Dsring, continued from previous page continued from previous page Turning a troubled, drug-ridden, violence- prone high school around is a challenge faced more and more frequently by principals, administrators, and Boards of Education in urban, inner-city areas across the country. Getting a meaningful education in an urban environment today re quires strategy signifi cantly different from that of schools in suburbia. Much has been written and shown through the national news media about “bat-swinging" bullhorn-toting Joe Clark, the famous, (or in famous, according to some critics) principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey. But, there is a more im portant side of the story that needs to be told about a tough authoritarian and disciplinarian, who demands the kind of academic achievement and excellence that leads to higher ac complishments and graduates who are pre pared to enter the eco nomic mainstream of American society. The Joe Clark Philosophy Clark’s philosophy for changing “a ‘blackboard jungle' info an institution of learning" has three major elements: order, pride, and academic achievement. These components are integral parts of the “New Management Plan" that he implemented in July, 1982, one month after he officially assumed his post as principal. The plan represents his business-like approach to the administration and management of Eastside High. It also re flects the authoritarian Reality, continued from previous page their approach to it. All of my problems have taught that God is still in charge. He is the best Power, and I will con tinue to look to Him Who strengthens me. discipline of both his previous military experi ence and his twenty years as an educator. The implementation of his pian has been no easy feat but is some thing Ciark carries out with reiish. He takes an active role, because as he has stated, “Lethargy on the part of the principal is the most flagrant factor in the in ferior education at urban schools.” He further contends, “For the most part, urban administra tors are indifferent, in decisive and often un- wiiling to take a stand or make unpopular deci sions. They are re sponsible for the de struction of the lives of students.” No Education ' Without Order Establishing order and rules for discipline were his first steps when Clark took over the reins at Eastside High. Although much has been made of his methods, he states, “Discipline is only, a means to an end. And that end is an improved education...without (order) nothing eise can take place.” Believing that establishing order requires “persistence and energetic dedica tion on the part of the chief administrator,” as well as “firm convictions and the courage to face opposition,” Clark has pursued his goal relent lessly. He notes that the problems he faced and still faces are not unique to Eastside High but are nationwide. However, he points out proudly, “We've fixed one thing: order, discipline (with) drugs gone, rapes (and) assaults...gone.” Clark also obtained better teachers and a better school administration. Now, the 36-inch Willie Mays Big Stick is rele gated to a space In his office. His firm and con fident voice, amplified by his ever-present bullhorn which he uses to get the attention of the 3,000 garrulous teenaged students. reminds them of what is or is not acceptable In behavior as they come and go to class. Walking the hallways of the four- story. 180-year old school stnjcture, Clark personally ensures that order and discipline are maintained. Pride In self and school Clark maintains, “Students will not de velop self-pride unless there is an atmosphere of school pride. This is the element that many educators overlook.” When he became prin cipal, he had the build ing thoroughly cleaned, repaired, and painted and hired a new security staff. Almost six years later, the litter and graf fiti, students hanging around outside when ciasses are underway- the usual trappings of inner-city schoois-are markedly absent from Eastside High. Administrative bulletins, printed slogans posted at strategic locations on hallway walls, as well as announcements broad cast throughout the school at the start of ev ery day, keep students informed of what is ex pected of them. But, the most impor tant difference between Eastside High and other troubled inner-city schools is the attitude of the students, the self pride so clearly demon strated by many. Clark caused the students to address head on the general perceptions of blacks and Hispanics as no good, lazy, not able to compete intellectually and challenged them to change those percep tions. Additionally, he noted that “year after year” the handful of white students were all in the top 25 percent of the school academically and that eve^ year there was a white vale dictorian in a school were 2/3 of the stu dents are black and al most 1/3 are Hispanic. He again challenged both students and teachers to disprove the pervasive theory of ge netic Intellectual inferior ity. Now the distribution of blacks and Hispanics in the upper 25 percent of is more reflective of the school's population. Clark’s personal inter est in and knowledge of his students have also affected the pride they take in themselves and Eastside High. As he monitors the halls, he uses his one-on-one in terface with students, as well as his bullhorn, to compliment and praise the successes of par ticular individuals and to scold when needed. The school newspa per, the Eastside Criterion, is representa tive of the pride and ex cellence In academic achievement that Clark stresses.With member ship in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the paper is a well-written, well-or ganized student prod uct that arrproaches the quality of a professional newspaper. The na tional news media cov erage of the schooi and its principal has had a benficial effect on the students, evidenced in the February issue of the Criterion which con tains a reproduction of the TIME magazine cover (February 1, 1988) which featured Clark. The caption boasts: ”ln case you missed it, Eastside is proud that Principal Joe Clark made the cover of TIME.” The paper also carries a story on one of the various incentives that the school offers, a math contest spon sored by the school's math department. Ciark donated the $200, $100, and $50 saving bonds that were awarded to the first-, second-, and third-place winners, respectively. Focus on Academic Achievement Once order is estab lished and pride is in stilled, “then and only then, can the student and the school grow and flourish academi cally,” according to Clark. For the students at Eastside High, 65 per cent of whom are wel fare recipients, his con cern is to have students equipped enough that. If they go on to college, they will have what it takes to finish college, not just participate for a while because of Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) programs of col lege minority goals, efforts that usually result In fail ure for the unprepared, adding to the spiraling drop out rate for minori ties in colleges and uni versities. However, he is more interested in stu dents acquiring the means to become pro ductive participants In the economic main stream than In how many go on to colleges or universities. Clark admits to being “perplexed over a dilemma that seems pervasive among blacks...(which) alludes to the fact that blacks must go to college to achieve a reasonable facsimile of success.” In a strong Indictment of black school administra tors, he says,”Black and Hispanic students...are academically Inferior to white students...(and) are ill-equipped to suc ceed in colleges.” Clark accuses blacks who control schools in such urban cities as Washington, DC, Detroit, Chicago, Newark, and Plainfield of knowingly turning out inferior black students, labeling the administra tors ‘pusillanimous poltroons” who blame Ronald Reagan for the problems of inner-city schools. He asserts, “You need committed, dedicated individuals who are concerned that schools are safe, orderly and that an instmctional process takes place that’s able to get at the root cause of the dilemma we face.” Because many inner- city school students “do not possess the skills, the internal fortitude, the pertinacity that would enable success,” which Clark perceives is the result of black ad ministrator’s antipathy and apathy, his focus is on better preparation of the Eastside High stu dents. He suggests that other urban, inner-city black school administra tors address their own educational processes which are, as he de scribes them, “at best, abominable,” rather than sitting back and watching “generations upon generations of young blacks, who are to become the back bone, ultimately, of black folks, watching them be destroyed by lack of enthusiasm.” Continuing his strat egy for enabling aca demic achievement, Clark requested that 60 senior students leave the school in December, 1987 be cause they lacked the grades and credits to graduate this June. Despite the resulting controversy that re ceived nationwide at tention, he feels strongly that he “transferred them to some place else to go...to alternative edu cation, adult school, GED, or whatever.” The fact that there are cur rently no alternative ed ucation, or vocational .schools (in Paterson), Clark states, is the fault of the Board of Education. Not all of his 3,000 students are aca demically oriented, and alternative sources of education need to be provided. But, they are not available, as Clark puts It, “because blacks and Hispanics are in volved...(and) no one cares.” His dropout rate is higher because, as he states emphatically, “I will not keep 18-, 19-, 20-, 21 -year olds. If I just left them here, my dropout rate would be lower, my enrollment higher, and decadence wider.” Sacrificing the total student population for the sake of “60 mis fits” is not part of Clark’s plan for academic achievement at See Different, next page
The AC Phoenix News (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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April 1, 1990, edition 1
13
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