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Ruth Anne L.

De Leon
BSEd3A

Daunting Changes
Lean on me
When youre not strong
Ill be your friend
Ill help you carry on

Even before watching the movie, Lean on Me starring Morgan Freeman, I am
already familiar with the famous song title of exactly the same words. Because of my
knowledge of the said song, I thought that the movie was chiefly about friendship and
overcoming the usual issues in dealing with our friends. However (since I was excited to
have at least a little bit of a clue about it), I inquired one of my professors if he knows the
movie, and he said that he does. When I asked him what it is about, he told me that its
about the struggles of a black American teacher/principal in his daily dealing with the
school and the people in it. I couldnt help but make up a story in my head on how things
will turn out in the plot of the movie even before we actually watched it.
Although I was not entirely wrong about my initial guess (that the movie was about
friendship), I was also surprised to know that it was better than what my imagination could
muster. The plotline follows the story of Mr. Joe Clark, a rather radical but nonetheless
good-hearted teacher (who later on became the principal) of Eastside High School. The
school is shown as one which is hopelessthe presence of students who are full-time
gangsters and drug addicts, bullies, and name every problem-stricken youth that you could,
and Eastside High has them. I couldnt help but pity the teachers who couldnt control their
students all because they are afraid of being the victims themselves. I also felt admiration
that even though they are afraid of their students (more so on what these students can do
to them), they are still trying (although their efforts are obviously not enough) to continue
to teach in that school. And so, this situation went on for years because everybody just lost
hopeteachers, parents, and, yes, even the children themselves lost all their hopes and
confidence of ever changing the current dilemma. Until the authorities have had enough of
it. Eastside Highs Basic Skills Exam reached the lowest among all schools and nobody
could do anything anymore except one manJoe Crazy Clark. Joe was suspended from
teaching 20 years ago (for reasons that I barely had a grasp about) from the same school. A
friend of him recommended his reinstatement in the same institution, and not as a teacher,
but as the head teacher or the principal. Many authorities concerned had reservations
about Crazy Joe because he was just thatcrazy. Not because he has damaged mental or
emotional faculties, rather it was more on his actions that may not be exactly ethical or his
behavior was not what people necessarily expect AND accept. Anyhow, there were no more
options laid on the table, so Joe Clark gets in.
Upon his arrival on the first day, he called on all the administration people, those
who he will be working together with in changing just about everything. He proceeded on
reprimanding the teachers for not doing their job of not just teaching but guiding the
children to the right path. Everyone was surprised to see a somewhat bossy and strong-
footed man in front of them (probably because no one really stood as the leader for a very
long time there). Nonetheless, nobody complained (at first). After all, the main goal is for
the school to pass the minimum basic skills test and they needed a person in charge that is
just like Mr. Clark, the Head Nigger in Charge (as what he called himself).
Mr. Clark notched-up his discipline system with the laying down of more (rigid)
rules and reprimanding of more stubborn teachers, who think that they can get away with
their previous ways, and headstrong students, who thought that Mr. Clark is just another
pet that they can play with. And they couldnt be more wrong. Many people concerned
resisted him and his orders (and probably, his ego). Personally, I thought his ways were so
radical as compared to the subservient way that the people in the institution have been
doing for so many years before he came. However, students as well as teachers saw right
through these ways that they originally detested but are now seeing the fruits of. The
school became a clean and orderly institution. Not only did Mr. Clark change the obsolete
and worm-infested ways and thinking inside the school (psychological and emotional
aspect) but as well as the physical environment of the school. It can be observed that while
Mr. Clark is tending to the abominable system, he is also an active participant in the
changing of the school environment (an evidence of his competency and credibility as an
administrator reinforced). Executing his orders and not breaking them is a must. He is the
law and no one dared to defy him (even if they did, they are definitely in for a rough ride).
Not everything went out smoothly though. As Mr. Clark gained comrades and
friends inside the institution, his enemies also grew in number. The people who loathed the
new system that he introduced found ways on how they can oust him. And true enough, Mr.
Clark was detained because of (apparently) a frame-up. The students who became dear to
Mr. Clark rallied to defend the honor of their principal.
Mr. Clark was eventually freed and retained his position. To the delight of everyone,
more than enough students passed the basic skills test. The whole student body along with
Mr. Clark sang the school song with pride and honor.

Eastside High was a training ground for jail. Then Joe Clark took over. Now the kids are
getting something they never had. A future.

Change can be so scary that the mere thought of it sends shivers down our spines.
Man is a habitual species. Anything that makes him uncomfortable makes him squirm and
thus makes him want to get out of it. That is what I saw from the movie, Lean on Me.
All the people surrounding Mr. Clark are afraid of changeeither because it will
make them hold less power or because it will put them in a place that they do not want to
be in.
Honestly, I thought that Mr. Clarks ways are way too radical and he expected
change to happen immediately. The people around him may want to go with him and may
even want to help him, but because they cannot see how his ways will help them in the long
run, they retaliated and some even gave up. I think that, that was the part where Mr. Clarks
reach has exceeded his grasp. He failed to communicate his approach clearly to everyone.
However noble our intentions are, if we fail to tap the skills and help that we need to
achieve a common goal, we fall short to those aims that we want to realize. Once Mr. Clark
realized this, he started to loosen up a bit and found the comfort of knowing that he isnt
alone in the fight. He isnt fighting his colleagues. He must and IS in fact working with them.
After all, improving a schools basic skills test cannot just be accomplished by one man, can
it?
With the movie, I learned that good team leadership is a key in being a successful
educator. You may have the intelligence, the perseverance, and even the heart for serving,
but if you fall short of your vision to achieve one common goal just because you cannot see
the others around you, you fail not just in educating, but in living life as a good person. It
must also be noted that, while change may be daunting, it is the only key to truly achieving
advancement. We cannot live in the past. One must always move forward but has to bear in
mind that what one moves forward with are the true and the good things. Communicating
these true and good things to our students is another key in truly achieving the good
change (however daunting they may initially be).

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