The Nation - News from Jan. 15, 1988

The school board in Paterson, N.J., admitted that it violated procedures in seeking to discipline controversial high school Principal Joe Clark, but said it will start from scratch to draw up insubordination charges against him. Vickie Donaldson, an attorney for the outspoken, bullhorn-toting Clark, filed suit in Superior Court to stop the board from punishing him for kicking out 60 students from Eastside High School without consulting with the board. Clark’s lawsuit said the school board violated the state’s open public meetings law by not formally notifying Clark that it would discuss taking action against him. Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Clark was scheduled to meet today with Gary Bauer, President Reagan’s chief domestic policy adviser. He said they will “discuss his (Clark’s) situation in New Jersey and whether or not he could be helpful in some capacity as far as Gary’s operation is concerned.”