Lean on Me

This blog entry about the movie LEAN ON ME (1989) is the first of four entries discussing movies about school, teachers, and education. In addition to being a writer, I am a school administrator and teacher. When I first watched these films, I was not an educator, so my perspective of certain aspects in them has evolved.

LEAN ON ME is a biographical drama based on Joe Louis Clark who was a principal at Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey. Morgan Freeman plays the controversial disciplinarian. One of the unconventional methods he uses in the movie is putting chains and padlocks on all the doors to keep gangs and drug dealers out of the school. Eastside High School is in an urban community and, unfortunately, certain activities that take place outside the school are brought inside. Students, faculty, and staff are happy about the chains and padlocks on the doors, but a parent, Leonna Barrett (Lynne Thigpen), is distressed by the approach and that her son is expelled, so she resolves to get Mr. Clark fired.

The school also grapples with students receiving low scores on a basic skills test and is in danger of the state taking control of it, which is why school district superintendent Dr. Frank Napier (Robert Guillaume) suggested hiring Mr. Clark, a former teacher at Eastside High School. Since students realize Mr. Clark cares about their well-being and education, they are motivated to study, learn, and raise the school’s basic skills test scores. One student, Thomas Sams (Jermaine Hopkins) who is expelled because of drug use, even begs Mr. Clark to allow him to return to school.

LEAN ON ME shows what several schools throughout the United States struggle with, but not all of them are in urban areas. There are also rural and suburban schools that have issues with gangs and/or drugs and receive low scores on state exams. This becomes clear once one has worked in schools and the movie takes on a different meaning. Most viewers see Mr. Clark as an inspirational figure who makes a positive impact on a school. Educators recognize that, but also take away from the story that certain tactics may or may not work at their schools for administering student discipline and teaching academic standards for a state exam.

A similar movie to LEAN ON ME is the biographical made for television movie, THE GEORGE MCKENNA STORY (1986) starring Denzel Washington. For the video release the title is HARD LESSONS. The movie is based on McKenna, who was a principal at George Washington Preparatory High School in South Los Angeles, California.