Film Assessment - Lean On Me

The 1989 overblown biographical picture Lean on Me, which was directed by Avildsen and starred Morgan Freeman, was approved by Michael Schiffer. Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey, appears to be exacerbated by violence and narcotics as the drama opens. According to the movie’s creator, a significant portion of children failed their basic skills exams, and teachers were also at risk from gang violence. Mayor Bottman came to the realization that the state should take over control of the schools if 75% of students fail the required basic skills test during this episode. After Bottman consulting Dr. Frank Napier, a school officer, he was advised to hire Joe Clark as the elementary school principal, who had previously worked as an educator at Eastside High (Mora & Christianakis, 2012).

The dramatist indicates that Joe then effected radical transformation starting with expelling 300 students who were considered as troublemakers, abusers or drug dealers. He also established curriculum aimed at improving the spirit of school amid redecorating graffiti-plastered walls and recommended that students need to learn school music and get punished when they fail to recite it on demand. During the time an expelled student is found fighting another student, Joe ordered for school’s doors to get chained shut at learning hours for the institution cannot afford alarmed security doors. However, some parents strongly opposed these measures, and Leonna Barrett, a mother of amid ejected students pressured Bottman to expel Joe. Coincidentally, Joe also comes into disagreement with members of the staff named Darnell and he suspends him for hoisting a piece of trash at the corrective altercation; and he also crashed with a choir master, Mrs. Elliot, whom he also fires for becoming insubordinate after canceling pre-organized choir event (Mora & Christianakis, 2012).

Joe’s actions now start to have a positive implication on his student where one of the student, Thomas Sams, who had been eject for using crack is viewed pleading to be allowed to get back to school and he progressively showed improvement over the film course. Joe also joins up his old elementary learner, Carter, with her disaffected mother. In spite of all these efforts, the practice skills assessment showed poor results and he heatedly accused his staff of failing to teach his students and for not preparing them to issues happing in the outside the school. Based on this letdown, he instigates a program aimed at cheering counteractive reading courses on Saturdays where the guardians may accompany their children (Mora & Christianakis, 2012).

The author of this film shows that when the final basic skills assessment is conducted, the students appear to be ready and they are filled with a sense of confidence. Prior to the arrival of outcomes, the fire chief breaks in the school and noticed that the doors were chained and Joe is arrested. During the night, the body of student meets on the Paterson Board of Education’s Central Office, and the school administration chaired by Ms. Barrett voted for the removal of Joe. However, the students were campaigning for the release of Joe from the jail so as he can continue being their principal. In the middle of the objection, Joe commands that his students should go back to their homes ahead of being disrupted by Ms. Levias, his assistant principal, who announces that above 75 percent of the student have managed to get required grade on the provided exam. This tutor announced these outcomes through his megaphone and ordered the assembled students to begin school’s celebration song (Mora & Christianakis, 2012).

1st Theme: Leadership’s Effectiveness

Indeed, the overarching theme of this film is qualities of an effective school leader. This film shows being a principle that is well equipped and passionate at ensuring that his students have achieved the required quality of education despite the encountered barriers. Regardless of contiguous school issues and pressed mandate, Clark put the necessary effort for ensuring that his job is successful and undertaken his tasks being visible and with tough love. Otherwise, when he set high anticipations for all individuals in the house where he ridiculed and alienated his staff and faculty. Otherwise, some individuals may argue that it was essential to change their ways whereas the others would stipulate that it was too difficult and harsh to ensure that people achieve the optimum results. Nevertheless, despite the condition of the school, Joe himself later shows support and respect for them (Mora & Christianakis, 2012).

Yurl (2012) has undertaken an extensive research concerning leadership behavior particularly in the past century which has yielded numerous taxonomies concerning the outcome of effective behaviors. This research was aimed at showing things that have been cultured about effective leadership actions within the organizations. This article has used a hierarchical classification containing 15 specific component practices and four meta-categories to interpret the extensive literature hence managing to detect the conditions that influence the effectiveness of leadership. Similar to the Clark Joe, this context has indicated that effective leaders are always dutiful and dedicated to attaining higher outcomes and they never get exhausted despite the encountered barriers (Yurl, 2012).

Similarly, Nixon, Parker, and Harrington (2012), in their article about the mechanisms of which leadership can affect the quality of outcomes have also indicated that Joe’s management tactics are examples of triumphant leadership traits. According to these authors, the success of a given institution is viewed on project manager’s prioritization of training in management skills as well as unremitting proficient encroachment for enhancing leadership results. Parallel to Joe, these inscribers stipulate that an effective leader must operate in the timeline so as to achieve a given outcome within a specified duration (Similarly, Nixon, Parker & Harrington, 2012).

2nd Theme: Gender-Based Discrimination

Gender-based discrimination is viewed where someone’s common civil rights are violated particularly with regard to unequal treatment since a certain person belongs to a particular gender. Joe is appear ordering all teachers to come up with names of incorrigible troublemakers or drug dealers and the entire body of the staff cooperate and provided him with the list of students who are hindering effectual progress in this school. In the process of building students’ morale for learning, he insists that all learners must familiarize themselves with school song and he also pressured that those who will be against this ruling will be punished. However, things appear to change direction when, he fires a music teacher, a highly rewarded tutor since he thinks that this lady was opposing his efforts. Similarly, Joe has also fired a choir master, Mrs. Elliot, for canceling a pre-organized music event. Indeed, both the music teacher and Mrs. Elliot were expelled from this school for unconfirmed allegations, hence indicating that Joe is biased on women. This instance can be confirmed where his deputy is against him yet he is not firing him even after opposing his plans (Mora & Christianakis, 2012).

Similar to the film’s critique showing bias on females, Merchant (2012), has also indicated that ladies are mistreated as compared to males. This paper places the historical background about the reasons of discussing a crucial topic about the connection between leadership and women. At this point, the author has discussed various things including leadership styles, influence tactics, and communication styles. In particular, Merchant has outlined challenges faced by women while attempting to succeed and attain leadership positions. Indeed, this paper has offered a detailed understanding concerning the way males and females differ, particularly in management and leadership positions. Furthermore, it has educated the community about the suitable ways of conquering gender biases in the workplace. Undeniably, there is confirmatory information that women are deleted on leadership issues (Merchant, 2012).

Correspondingly Sultana (2012) has also provided comprehensive details that men are favored against women. This author is arguing that patriarchy is the major barrier to women’s development and advancement. Regardless of distinctions in domination levels, the wide attitude remains the same that men are in control of leadership in all organizations. This author has added that the nature of this supremacy may vary on different instances; hence it is essential to comprehend the system where ladies are subjugated. Sultana says that patriarchal offer absolute precedence to males and to some extent it depletes human rights of women (Sultana, 2012).

3rd Theme: Class-Based Bias

There is a theme of class-based prejudice within the film ‘Lean on Me’. This favoritism appears where New Jersey suggests taking control over the high school was performing scantily due to increased use of drug use and heightening in criminal acts. Indeed, this postulation was illogical since the authority was planning to expel all students who will fail to attain passing points in the basic skills test. Indeed, this is unfair decision since Clark appears much attracted to performing students and placing harsh castigation to those who are not brilliant. Moreover, this biases occurs where Joe pressures that those students who will not recite the school song need to be punished. Actually, Clark’s actions are subjective since people are gifted differently and students can’t be smart in all things (Mora & Christianakis, 2012).

Similar to the film ‘Lean on Me’, Thoman, Brown, Mason, Harmsen & Smith (2014) have also shown that there is class-based prejudice within the learning institutions. These authors have conducted an assessment aimed at understanding the way cultural values interferes with undergraduates’ career interest and research experiences. In their context, these inscribers have confirmed that majority of school’s standards and practices do not favor minority groups including the poor and non-performers. This commentary suggests that the government and the community at large should find ways of inclusively involving inferior students in different activities irrespective of their weakness (Thoman, Brown, Mason, Harmsen & Smith, 2014).

Additionally, Erwin and Worrell (2012) have indicated that students are encountering class-based prejudice while in school. For instance, these authors say that diverse scholars are arguing that the underrepresentation of minority groups in talented education and gifted students has led to the introduction of programs that will hinder favoritism appraisal practices. Similar to the film, ‘Lean on Me’, this article is showing that lots of students have been undergoing discrimination hence they are inferior in some fields. Actually, these students feel depressed since they are mistreated for failing in a few activities yet they have the capability of succeeding in other ventures (Erwin & Worrell, 2012).

References

Erwin, J. O., & Worrell, F. C. (2012). Assessment practices and the underrepresentation of minority students in gifted and talented education. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 30(1), 74-87.

Merchant, K. (2012). How men and women differ: Gender differences in communication styles, influence tactics, and leadership styles.

Mora, R., & Christianakis, M. (2012). No free rides, no excuses”: Film stereotypes of urban working class students. Blue-collar pop culture in film, 167-180.

Nixon, P., Harrington, M., & Parker, D. (2012). Leadership performance is significant to project success or failure: a critical analysis. International Journal of productivity and performance management, 61(2), 204-216.

Sultana, A. (2012). Patriarchy and women’s subordination: A theoretical analysis. Arts Faculty Journal, 4, 1-18.

Thoman, D. B., Brown, E. R., Mason, A. Z., Harmsen, A. G., & Smith, J. L. (2014). The role of altruistic values in motivating underrepresented minority students for biomedicine. BioScience, biu199.

Yukl, G. (2012). Effective leadership behavior: What we know and what questions need more attention. The Academy of Management Perspectives, 26(4), 66-85.