Lean on Me

East Side High School was labeled a “cauldron of violence.” After they were designated this harsh term, Joe Clark becomes the head principal and changes it all around – or does he? Lean on Me is a story of hope, development, love, hate, and dependence. As a father figure and friend, Clark’s strict disciplining and harsh attitude helps heal, strengthen, and bring to life a struggling high school in New Jersey. But is this plot …

…let alone a group of people, to turn it around in under a year, like Joe Clark does, is unimaginable and almost impossible. The school song is an important symbol throughout the movie. It is metaphoric of the change that East Side undergoes. As they tune up the song, they tune up the school. The song goes from a piece of garbage, to a song that is sung in harmony and tune by the students.