Lean on Me (1989)

Lynne Thigpen: Leonna Barrett

Photos 

Quotes 

• Thomas Sams : Hey, Mr. Clark, what did they get you for?

  Ms. Levias : What's the charge? What's this all about?

  Leonna Barrett : It's about someone finally standing up to this man, instead of taking his orders like a maid.

  Ms. Levias : How dare you speak about people like that? Who do you think you are?

  Joe Clark : [while taken in handcuffs by the fire chief and other police officers]  Mrs. Barrett, if you think you can...

  Leonna Barrett : Shut up! You're finished!

  [holds up the tape recorder] 

  Leonna Barrett : The school board's going to hear this at 7:00, and we are going to vote your black ass out!

  Thomas Sams : Yo, bitch! Vote on THIS!

  [gestures angrily] 

  Joe Clark : Sams, you go to class!

• Leonna Barrett : What happened this morning is an outrage! My boy's no criminal! He and those children belong in school, not back out on the streets! Our kids don't deserve this! Some of those children are smart. They're just discouraged what chances they got out there, what kind of jobs they got waiting for them. What chance do they have now? He insulted the black football coach! The man's gone crazy! He's declared war on his own people!

  Mrs. Arthur : May I remind you, Miss Barrett, that Mr. Clark was nice enough to come to this emergency meeting after a very trying day?

  Leonna Barrett : That's what he gets paid for!

  Mrs. Arthur : I think we owe him a chance to respond.

  [the audience claps in agreemeet] 

  Joe Clark : [getting up and stand before the group]  They say one bad apple spoils the bunch.

  [shouts of protest] 

  Joe Clark : But what about 300? Rotten to the core! Now, you're right, Mrs. Barrett. This is a war. It's a war to save 2700 other students, most of whom don't have the basic skills to pass the state exam.

  [some applause] 

  Joe Clark : Now if you want to help us, fine.

  [coming over to her] 

  Joe Clark : Sit down with your kids and make them study at night. Go get your families off welfare.

  Leonna Barrett : [getting up in his face]  How dare you talk to these people about welfare!

  Joe Clark : Give our children some pride! Tell them to get their priorities straight!

  [Mrs. Barrett sits down. He walks on down the center of the audience] 

  Joe Clark : When Dr. Napier came to me offering this job, I saw the lightning flash. I heard the thunder roll! I felt breakers crashing, swamping my soul!

  Leonna Barrett : [getting up again]  We are NOT in church, Mr. Clark!

  Joe Clark : [facing her]  I fell down on my knees

  [Mrs. Barrett sits down in exasperation] 

  Joe Clark : and I cried "My God, why has thou forsaken me?" and the Lord said "Joe, you're no damn good. No, I mean this! More than you realize, you're no earthly good at all unless you take this opportunity and do whatever you have to." And he didn't say "Joe, be polite".

  [the people clap in agreement] 

  Joe Clark : Do whatever you have to to transform and transmogrify this school into a special place where the hearts and souls and minds of the young can rise.

  [more clapping in agreement] 

  Joe Clark : Where they can grow tall and blossom out from under the shadows of the past. Where the minds of the young are set free. And I gave my word to God, and that's why I threw those bastards out

  [the crowd starts to shout in both agreement and protest] 

  Joe Clark : And that's all I'm gonna say!

  [He walks out as the audience gets loud and boisterous] 

• Leonna Barrett : [as the crowd is chanting "FREE MR. CLARK"]  Listen to me! People, please! You must all disperse and return to your homes! Your presence here is helping no one! Why don't you use your brains and listen?

  Clarence : [stepping up to take the megaphone and turn on the siren]  Everybody, come on, listen up! Now let's just settle down, give her a chance to talk. She might actually have something to say. Now everybody just chill, settle down, and let's listen to the old loudmouth wench!

  [Everyone laughs and cheers as he hands her back the megaphone] 

  Leonna Barrett : [as she is talking on the megaphone, Mr. Clark approaches the doorway at the top of the City Hall stairs]  You can call me what you want, but the simple fact is as follows: Mr. Clark has broken the laws of the state, and exposed you all to grave danger.

  [Everyone boos and protests] 

  Leonna Barrett : His behavior is irresponsible. Chaining those doors was a criminal act. Why do you think they call him Crazy Joe?

  Thomas Sams : Because you all don't understand him!

  Maria : He chained those doors to keep out the drug dealers, and to make us all feel safe. You talk about upholding the law, but you're twisting the law. The laws are made to protect the people, and that's what he's doing for us. That's ALL he's doing for us!

  [Everyone applauds in agreement] 

  Reggie : The thing you don't understand is that Mr. Clark believes in us. He's provided an environment...

  Kaneesha Carter : [to Reggie]  He don't believe in YOU, 'cause you don't take care of your responsibilities!

  [everyone points and laughs at him] 

  Leonna Barrett : Despite what he himself may believe, Mr. Clark is not Eastside High!

  Kaneesha Carter : Mr. Clark doesn't CLAIM to be Eastside High! Still, he's been like a father to some of us who grew up without fathers! But you wouldn't know, because you couldn't care less about that!

  Leonna Barrett : People, just hear me! The school board is meeting right now. And I promise you, we will give you what Eastside High deserves: a good principal!

  Thomas Sams : We don't NEED a good principal! That's why we're here! WE *NEED* MR. CLARK!

• Mayor Don Bottman : What do you want?

  Leonna Barrett : Clark!

  Mayor Don Bottman : Just like that, huh? Head on a platter.

  Leonna Barrett : You think I got an attitude. Well, let me tell you what I think. I know why you like Clark. He's a guard dog. Does your dirty work. Keeps the black folk in line - that's fine. But you've got to get re-elected. I've got enough folks lined up with me to give you a DAMN hard time, and I will get more. I will organize. I will beat the streets.

  Mayor Don Bottman : Unless I do what?

  Leonna Barrett : Appoint me to the school board so we can vote Clark out. Otherwise, we'll just have to vote you out.

  Mayor Don Bottman : Vote me out? You know, it's always good to see citizens avail themselves of the democratic process.

  Leonna Barrett : My job's gonna be easy. You're not too popular these days, are ya?