DECISION-MAKING SCAFFOLD

CASE STUDY: SAM MEYERS

EDU6304 The School & Multicultural American Society
Barrett Weaver

KEY
CHARACTERS

THE SCHOOL
HOWE ELEMENTARY

Majority of families are from the lower socioeconomic level

Located in a suburban area of a popular vacation destination
Most of families are Conservative Christian
Majority of parents worked 2nd or 3rd shift in tourism industry
Many parents didnt have formal education past 12th grade
as jobs were available in tourism industry upon high
school graduation

SAM MEYERS
Middle aged male
Spent most of his career as a hospital clerk
Legally blind (degenerative eye disease) & wears glasses
First year teacher
Elementary teacher
Special Education teacher
Will work with Autistic students
New to district
Homosexual who openly discusses his relationship & partner

HANNAH

Sams mentor teacher at Howe Elementary

In her 9th year of teaching
First year in elementary special education
Enrolled in Doctoral special education program at local university
Sam is her first mentee

JULIA
Sams classroom assistant
Conservative Christian
Considered a straight arrow by the staff
Conversations with co-workers revolve around church
activities and Christian faith
Devoted to family and mother of 4
Been an assistant in the classroom for two years

MILEY
Sams classroom assistant
Married mother of 2
Member of Conservative Christian church
More liberal than Julia
Drank, used profanity, had tattoos
Been in the classroom as an assistant for a year

MRS. MOREHEAD
Principal of Howe Elementary
Second year principal (both years at Howe)
Parents are skeptical of her because she is much
different than the previous principal
Received several good reports from the first-grade
teacher Sam did his student teaching with

JOEYS MOM
AKA NANCY

Mother of Joey, a student in Sams special education

class for students with autism
Concerned parent who questioned if a gay man could
teach and how it would affect her son
Discusses her concerns with her husband who has the
same concerns and decides to inform the principal
Reassured by the principal that Sam is a good teacher
and everything is fine

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS &

PROBLEMS WITHIN
- Howe Elementary is currently in staff development & teacher work
day sessions for beginning of the year preparation
- Sam, Julia, and Miley spend their lunch hour together and they all
share family stories. Julia and Miley discover Sam is an openly gay
man.
- Julia gossips to community members and to Joeys Mom about
Sams sexual orientation. She questions whether her faith allows
her to work with a gay man. She doesnt know if she is allowed in
the room with a gay man. Julia questions whether Sam would
molest the children or whether they would catch homosexuality
from him. She doesnt think Sam believes in God and is concerned
of how this year will work.

- Sam received a call from Nancy and the first day hasnt even
began. Nancy informs him that under no circumstance was he
allowed in the bathroom alone with her son. Sam is completely
shocked to already have issues with his sexual orientation before
classes start, and wonders who told someone in the community.
The next day, Sam goes to Hannah for advice.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS &

PROBLEMS WITHIN
- Hannah reassures Sam that everything will be alright. Although she couldnt
believe it either, her advice is to talk to Mrs. Morehead and tell her about the
conversation, maybe she can help
- Sam is afraid to contact Mrs. Morehead. It is his first teaching job and he
doesnt want to mess it up.

KEY QUESTIONS
What are the issues regarding
sexual orientation that Sam, the
other teachers, the families, and
school must address?
What are the beliefs about sexual
orientation held by the major
stakeholders in the case?

KEY QUESTIONS
What legal precedents and
established standards of practice
can be used as guidelines for those
involved?
What resources and supports are
available for Sam, the family
involved, and the school district?

KEY QUESTIONS

What short-term and long-term goals

can be set that will assist all parties to
deal with similar situations in the
future?

ADDRESSING THE
ISSUES:

PLAN OF ACTION

GOAL #1
Kill the Problem: Internally/Externally
TIMELINE: IMMEDIATELY TO YEARLY

Mrs. Morehead will need to meet with Sam, Hannah, Miley, and
Julia privately and inform them of everyones rights and
responsibilities individually, and the rights and responsibilities of
the school.

Mrs. Morehead will need to assure Sam that discrimination will not
be tolerated on her campus by faculty, staff, or parents.
A team approach with parents and other faculty will need to be
adopted by the teachers within this ONE classroom in order to
keep order.

Mrs. Morehead will need to set up a meeting with the parents of

Joey and address their concerns one on one, and inform them of
the schools legal responsibility and the district policy on the issue.

GOAL #2
Educate The Campus & Community
TIMELINE: WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS EACH YEAR

- As an administrator, Mrs. Morehead should provide

informative seminars for the faculty and staff educating them
on the law and reminding them of constitutional rights within
- Stakeholders of Howe Elementary and community members
should be given informative seminars to help educate every
associated party
- Offer the seminars every year and have lead teachers and
PTA heavily involved

GOAL #3
Plan for the Future
TIMELINE: WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL & YEARLY

- Mrs. Morehead will need to have Sam, Miley, and Julia

take initiative throughout the year to build relationships
with parents and use them the next year to share their
testimonies
- Have the Special Education Department adopt meet the
classroom night before meet the teacher night in an
effort for parents and students to share their experiences
and positive words

ADDITIONAL
RECCOMENDATIONS
- Mrs. Morehead should contact other principals and her
superintendant to receive some insight and input from others
who may have experienced the same issues from an
administrative viewpoint
- Sam and Mrs. Morehead should do their homework to find
previous legal cases against school districts to help educate
them of their rights and the rights of parents/students
- Mrs. Morehead can contact the region or state site to find
resources for educating all stakeholders within her campus.
These resources should be offered yearly and new ones should
be implemented every year.

RESOURCES
Taylor, Lorraine S., and Catharine Whittaker.
Bridging Multiple Worlds Case Studies of
Diverse Educational Communities.
Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon, 2009.
Public Schools and Sexual Orientation;
A First Amendment framework for finding
common ground.
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/madison/wpcontent/uploads/2011/03/sexual.orientation.guidelines.pdf