Kennedy Case Study

1. Summarization of facts associated with case

a. Who: David King, Head Principal, William Smith, Vice Principals, teachers and housemasters.

b. What: A newly elect principal faces serious issues within the schools first two years of starting up. The school is based on a house system which has caused more trouble than good.

c. Where: Robert F Kennedy High School, Great Ridge, Illinois. The school is located in a low income inner-city which students coming from the toughest and poorest areas of the city.

d. When: 1970, the beginning of the school’s third year.

2. Source & Components of Problems Within Case

a. Chauncey Carver threatened Betsy Dula that he would “break her neck” during a heated argument. Death threats like this need to be addressed and taken seriously.

b. There have been fights throughout the school involving people who do not attend the school. This has turned into a security issue whether or not the doors which are not the main ones should be locked at all times. In addition, there have been instances where teachers have been assaulted and beaten in their classrooms. This has frightened many of the staff, particularly some of the older teachers.

c. Kennedy High School uses a system that breaks up the school into four different “houses”. These different houses are meant to build community and trust within each other. However, a recent shortage of teachers meant that students had to take classes from other houses thus defeating the purpose for even having a house system.

d. The racial mix has been carefully balanced so that blacks, Puerto Ricans, and whites all constitute a third of the student body. Currently, there hasn’t been too many problems of diversity among the students. However, with a few recent resignations of faculty members, the number of black administrators exceeds the amount of white administrators by a ratio of two to one. King has the opportunity to appoint two new vice principals as well two assistants to the principals. He is hoping to use these appointments to equal out the racial balance.

e. Currently, there are multiple situations of tension among the faculty and administration. One of these problems is with the housemaster Burtram Perkins. Perkins is seen as a highly respected part of the faculty but is also recognized as a poor housemaster. One staff member, David Crimmins, says there is a letter being circulated that is asking for the removal of Perkins as a housemaster. Another problem is William Smith’s failure of trust in the schools new leader David King. Smith has even claimed that the only reason he is still at the school is if David King doesn’t make it through the year then he himself will be appointed Principal.

3. Determine all possible alternatives