Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case

Analysis and Rationale
Karen Villatoro Gonzalez

EAD-505 Professor: Dr. Rundhaug, Rich

August 23, 2022

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

Part 1:  Case Analysis

1.      Brief summary of the case:

A middle class community, Rose Place is in the process of developing low-income housing

project. Rose Place has been home for influential white supremacists whose ancestors have

migrated out but they were left behind.  This particular group has been very vocal about this

new housing project as well as the potential problems the new community may present.  

 Smith Jackson is a 40-year-old elementary school with 580 general education students and 20

special education students who depend on the community those volunteers for help. The

students are bused and the school district has adopted a voluntary busing program. This is a

way to integrate by the end of the decade. Though they have the family support a group of

parents do not age with the busing of the ethnically different students to Smith Jackson.  The

current principal, who has had a very successful career in inner-city schools and known for

working with the superintendents, is the first minority administrator in the school district. The

staff at the Elementary school are 100% Caucasian and the students who not identify with them

expressing concern to the principal about the lack of relationship building. 

2.      Identify the issues to be resolved:

  Diversity and the history of lack of cultural awareness within the school and

community

 Concerns/complaints of the parents

 Disciplinary problems 

 Academic gaps

 The return of 75% of students currently enrolled in the busing program do not

plan on returning

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

 Negative backlash from specific parents/community even stating that the busing

students and minority and one in particular feels it was better before the changes

being made to Rose Place by integrating the elementary school

 Lash back on you (the principal) from a specific parent 

3.      Stakeholders involved in the issue:

 The community

 Parents

 School

 District

 Principal

 Students who are bussed

 Minority students

 Teachers

 Parents who are supporting the bussed students

 Parents of students that go to Smith Jackson E.S.

4.      One or two existing laws or court rulings that relate to the issues:

In office of Civil Rights, they discuss the following and I quote, “Discrimination on the basis of

race, color, and national origin is prohibited by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; sex

discrimination is prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; discrimination on

the basis of disability is prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973”.  

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

The Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination on

disability by public entities, regardless of whether they receive federal financial assistance

Mendez v. Westminster: Paving the Way to School Desegregation: In 1947, parents won a

federal lawsuit against several California school districts that had segregated Mexican-American

schoolchildren. For the first time, this case introduced evidence in a court that school

segregation harmed minority children.  In 1854, black students in San Francisco became the

first children segregated in California’s public schools. Soon, however, state law prohibited

"Negroes, Mongolians and Indians" from attending public schools with white children anywhere

in California.

5.      District policies that relate to the issues:

I was searching for articles that were written regarding my district, Clark County School District

and I found one that caught my attention.  In this article, Is CCSD preparing for a segregation

lawsuit?, many of the written parts were similar to this case.  In Las Vegas, six prime West area

schools were racially and economically segregated and now, many students who are Latino or

African American attended.  The issue was that for years a source or “racial strains and

desegregation litigation has been its focus. West Las Vegas advocates and parents had

emerged publicly to look into this matter of inequalities.  

I continued on to reading the CCSD district anti-racism, equity, and inclusion policy P-5139. The

policy defines its purpose, which is to, and I quote, “reject all forms of racism.” Forms of racism

are but not limited to; cyber, anti-racism, discrimination, diversity, educational equity, inclusion,

structural and more.  

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

The district will hold the staff accountable for their actions and set a renewed culture of high

expectations for all students.

6.      Possible solutions to the issues:

 Family involvement

 Community involvement

 Fairs and carnivals that are able to connect students and families

 Teacher/staff training and cultural awareness resources

 Professional development and learning strategies for our staff, parents, families,

community and students

 Parent that is hostile and has constant lash back towards the principal should not be

allowed to volunteer

 Family engagement opportunities

 
 

7.      The solution you chose to resolve the issues:

Chance begins with me!  There are many ways that I can choose to resolve the issue but the

main one is to inspire others to change. I would embrace every opportunity to interact with the

community, the students and the staff.  I will begin with internal training and speakers of all

walks of like to come in and serve as inspirational speakers to our staff.  I will also plan many

community events such as family engagement night, carnivals, family meet and greets and

other events that we can interact with each other.  I will also have volunteer training

opportunities for our volunteers and meet with that one sole parent and explain that our

environment is a no bully/no discrimination environment and he has to respect it or will not be

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

allow on campus.  Inviting district leaders to events will also be a way to transition into a new

type of environment for all as we embrace each other’s common goals, which are the students.  

8.      Action steps (2-5) for implementing your solution, including a timeline for each step:
1. Inspire others by being present

2. Invite community members to events like “meet and greets”

3. Staff trainings and team building activities

4. District leaders will be invited to round tables of discussion

5. Volunteer clearance

6. Classroom presentations/assemblies by modern day presenters to inspire us all

to change

7. Be involved! Be invested in change!

9.      Potential moral and legal consequences of solution:

The lack of change and transformation can lead to many negative outcomes and legal

consequences.  The responsibility is in my hands but with the lack of a willingness to

change and inspire I would be dealing with continues precautions and outrage from our

community and families.  This environment would not be a productive one and can cause

not only an impact in learning but in the safety within our school.  

Part 2:  Case Study Solution Rationale

I recall our professional standards for educational leaders and the specific standards within

them to protect and serve our community, schools and students.  Our priority is to inspire others

into quality education, which not only involves curriculum-based methods but also ethically

embracing all of our cultural differences and the diversity in our classrooms.  

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

Standard two talks about those ethics and professional norm and it states; Effective educational

leaders act ethically and according to professional norms to promote each student’s academic

success and well-being.”  Acting with professionalism and ethics mean to embrace and build

relationship with others and have resources available to promote an environment that will build

trust and collaboration as well as promote ethical and professional behavior among our staff. 

 Standard three refers to equity and cultural responsiveness and it states, “Effective educational

leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to

promote each student’s academic success and well-being.”  We have the responsibility to

ensure that all of our students feel respected and honored. They trust us to recognize and

respect their culture and their diverse backgrounds.  We are also responsible for setting up

equitable access to learning and to always uphold fair and positive unbiased judgement.

As I review the case and all of the problems as well as the possible solutions I have, I honor the

fact that I am focusing on the values of our students.  I am safeguarding their diversity and

protecting them by establishing norms such as trainings, events and visits from motivational

speakers.  I believe that my decisions made will result in a safe learning environment for our

students as well as a welcoming environment for our communities.  Setting up rules and

expectations but being a model of change will set the tone and therefore demonstrating that the

rules in place are not, just something pulled out of a hat but expectations placed in my school by

district leaders and us as administrators.  The open door policy for our community as well as

creating different community engagement events will allow our school to set a tone for

interaction with one another in hopes that at the end we can all come to a sense of belonging

and that we all matter.  There will be construct training and educational opportunities not only for

the staff but also for our students and community.

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

Many times, we fall short in embracing change. Many times, we lack the confidence to be a

change and inspiration to others.  I believe that with the speakers and the planning of events, it

will open the door to allowing families to engage with each other.  The atmosphere that was

previously built and the manner in which things were handed needs to be redefined and we can

do that if we focus on the issue.  Providing resources to our staff and paying them for trainings

that will inspire a change in something that we should not limit ourselves to do.  There is always

room for improvement and growth and with the room for improvement comes an open mind to

embrace everyone and their limitations.  I look forward to always be an inspiration and a

stepping-stone not a stone on the road but one for change!

Part 3: Agenda and Agenda Rationale

Embrace Diversity & Embrace Change!

The purpose of our meeting is to embrace the new changes and diversity at Smith-Jackson
Elementary School.

Our meeting goals and objectives.

1. Stay connected: We will transition into a new time and era where staying connected and
accepting each other is our main objective.
2. Be the change: Second objective is to change our ways before we try to change others.
Ask ourselves; are someone who inspires change or someone who inspires defeat?

At least two suggested speakers from community organizations.

1. Superintendent
1. Showing up means you care and you showing that you care is what the
community wants to feel.
2. Mayor
1. I believe that inviting our Mayor will also be a time to embrace and to
connect with more than our classrooms.

A detailed timeframe for speakers and activities.

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

8:00 am - 8:30 am Breakfast served in the library

8:30am - 9:00 am Introduction of our new principal

9:00am - 9:30 am Ice breaker / let us connect

9:30 am - 10:00 am Superintendent Message

Superintendent will have a Q&A session with all of our community and
address concerns of the new changes taking place in our schools and
communities.  

10:00am - 10:30 am Raffle by our Mayor and his team

10:30am - 11:30 am School tour, meet, and greet with teachers

11:30am - 12:30pm Lunch (potluck)

References

BibliU - Reader. (n.d.). Bibliu.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023, from

https://bibliu.com/app/#/view/books/9780137684373/epub/OPS/xhtml/fileP70010177

720000000000000000000EF.html#page_67

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 Benchmark – Building Trust in a Diverse Community Case Analysis and Rationale

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY. (n.d.).

https://ccsd.net/district/policies-regulations/pdf/5139_P.pdf

Constitutional Rights Foundation. (2007). Www.crf-Usa.org. https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-

rights-in-action/bria-23-2-c-mendez-v-westminster-paving-the-way-to-school-

desegregation

Is CCSD preparing for a segregation lawsuit? (2011, February 15). Nevada Policy.

https://www.npri.org/nevadajournal/ccsd-preparing-segregation-lawsuit/

National Policy Board for Educational Administration. (2015). Professional Standards for

Educational Leaders National Policy Board for Educational Administration FORMERLY

KNOWN AS ISLLC STANDARDS.

http://www.npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-Standards-for-

Educational-Leaders_2015.pdf

Protecting Students Overview. (2020, January 16). Www2.Ed.gov.

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/frontpage/pro-students/

protectingstudents.html#:~:text=Discrimination%20on%20the%20basis%20of

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