East Side Highschool Organizational Development

In this week’s movie, we analyze the dynamic of organization development characteristics of an educational institution high school. East Side High was once an elite high school producing some of the smartest graduates in the city. Not long after the board releases their best teacher, Joe Clark, the high school environment declines. Twenty years later, the school is ranked the worst in the state, it is covered in graffiti, drugs and guns are openly used, sold, traded, and utter chaos fills the halls. There is a complete lack of authority among the faculty and a total laissez-faire atmosphere on the campus. The school has 9 months to get the students from a failing grade on the state exam to a 75% overall or the school will be shut down. Joe Clark is asked by his friend and colleague to once again return to East Side and fix the situation. The approach, execution, and result of his work is amazing. Joe walks in his old scholar hallways and can’t believe what he sees. He walks into the faculty lounge and immediately sets the tone of autocratic leadership from this point forward and if anyone opposes they can leave. This authoritative style of leadership posed problems at
He really used his autocratic leadership to the max. In one scene, he instructed all who were present in the room to stand still, not move, and listen. The sport coach bent down to pick up paper and Joe yelled at him and told him to report to his office. In the end, another faculty member finally spoke up and told Joe the faculty had enough and she wanted a transfer. Through this discussion Joe finally saw the level of frustration, and still allegiance to the school, from the faculty, and through an open forum he was able to apologize to her and amend a broken relationship. Overall, this film was an outstanding example of OD intervention, however, I hope I never have to experience anyone like