Joe Louis Clark, the New Jersey school principal that inspired actor Morgan Freeman’s role as a principal in Lean On Me, has passed away at his Florida home after battling an unspecified terminal disease. He was 82 years old.
Born in 1938, Clark spent most of his childhood in the dangerous north New Jersey city, Newark, which became a haven for crime, drugs, and poverty in later years. The soon-to-be principal has always had an affinity for education with a proven track record that includes a bachelor’s degree from William Paterson College, master’s from Seton Hall, and an honorary doctorate from the U.S. Sports Academy.
Known for his strict bootcamp-esque mentality, which was most likely adopted from Clark’s time as a U.S. Army Reserve sergeant, the tough talking leader gained a notorious reputation for setting students on a straight path to success using a tough love strategy.
He would often be seen at a once disorderly Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey toting a baseball bat and carrying around a bullhorn where he would sternly instruct his students to get to class. In one incident, he expelled over 300 students all at once for inappropriate behavior, ranging from drug dealing to physical confrontations.
Later in his career, Clark would extend his effective methods to his role as the head of a juvenile detention center in Passaic County. Clark was the epitome of a man that did not tolerate “weak sauce.” His reputation would reach the powers of Hollywood, with John G. Avildsen directing and Michael Schiffer penning the script for Lean On Me.
In the film loosely based on Clark’s life, Morgan Freeman would play the role of Clark, starring alongside Robert Guillaume (A Different World), Beverly Todd (How To Get Away With Murder), Lynne Thigpen who lended her voice to popular video game Where In The U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego, and Alan North (The Long Kiss Goodnight).
Clark leaves behind his wife Gloria, three children and three grandchildren.
