When students needed extra help, Chemistry Teacher Mr. Courtland Ferreria-Douglas was at school by 6 a.m., ready to meet them with open doors. During Period X, more students flocked into the teacher’s lounge in the Michael Teitelman Science Center to ask questions.
Now, after two years of teaching at Bishop’s, Mr. Douglas is preparing to say goodbye. Known for his dedication to student support and his work in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice (DEIJ), Mr. Douglas made efforts to foster inclusion and accessibility both in and outside the classroom. Still, his departure has been marked by tension, shaped by his concerns about belonging at the School.
Shortly after receiving his master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration in 2023 at Harvard University, Mr. Douglas moved to San Diego to continue his teaching career at Bishop’s. He currently teaches tenth grade Chemistry and is also on the DEIJ Advisory Board alongside Director of DEIJ Ms. Valissa Thomas, Associate Director of DEIJ Ms. Sarah Miller, student leaders, parents and other faculty.
Mr. Douglas often arrived on campus at 6 a.m., and when a group of students found out, they started meeting with him at 7 a.m. to prepare for assessments or ask additional questions about the material. These students also put together Zoom sessions with Mr. Douglas, held after school or even on the weekends. “I think he stayed on for almost two hours just answering questions and walking us through tricky problems one by one,” Sajan Virdi (‘27), one such student who took advantage of these review sessions, recalled. “He didn’t rush anything and made sure everyone who had a question was able to ask it.” Gabriella Gallus (‘26), one of Mr. Douglas’s former students last year, also said, “He was super dedicated to helping me, which was something I’ve never received from a teacher before when I was struggling.”
Mr. Douglas also spoke about his eleventh grade advisory, saying that he made an effort to attend at least one sporting event for each one of his advisees. “I love…being able to see students kind of achieve in that way,” he said. Naveen Hernandez (‘26), one of his advisees, said that what he would remember most about Mr. Douglas was the videos he played during advisory in the mornings. “[They were] kind of like what’s going on in the world…And I learned a lot of really interesting things from that.”
Throughout his teaching career, Mr. Douglas has also been involved in DEIJ work. His personal mission was centered on making education more accessible for all students. “I feel like there needs to be individuals in leadership who are thinking, ‘how do we make those subjects more approachable for black and brown students?’” he said. “And so that’s something that is central for me.”
In addition to Mr. Douglas’s role as a Chemistry teacher, he also worked closely with Ms. Thomas to help organize programs such as Deaf Awareness Month, which included teaching students the letters of the American Sign Language alphabet. “I hope that the school, students, and faculty appreciate the impact of these DEIJ efforts,” Mr. Douglas said. “In many schools, they don’t have the same resources or opportunities to foster such meaningful conversations.”
For Mr. Douglas, however, although he looks back on his time at Bishop’s with gratitude for his students and colleagues, the departure was ultimately a “somber” one. He explained, “The reason why I’m not coming back to the school is not because I decided to not come back…[and] none of the reasons offered are related to the overall job that I am asked to perform.” The Tower was unable to verify what reasons the administration gave Mr. Douglas for his departure.
According to Mr. Douglas, the explanation he received for being asked to leave wasn’t “tied to [his] ability to teach the content.” In response, Mr. Douglas wrote an 11-page document to the administration detailing his frustration about what he believed was racial bias. “I am 1 of 3-4 Black lead teachers at the Bishop’s School. Every room that I walk in[to] I am usually the only Black person present, so finding a sense of belonging can be very difficult,” he wrote. To corroborate his points, Mr. Douglas also provided a study from USA Facts stating that black male teachers made up only 1.3% of the nation’s public teachers workforce. Near the end of his response, he asked, “How often white individuals are dismissed due to skills/credentials? How often are Black individuals dismissed due to ‘fit’?”
These concerns culminated in Mr. Douglas arguing that the School had failed to adhere to its core values, particularly the value of belonging. “In a community that says they believe in belonging, what does this say about your understanding of that belonging if the person you’re dismissing, you’re not dismissing him because of the fact that his teaching is poor?” he wrote. Ultimately, he wished the entire situation could have been handled differently, and for him to have been given more “empathy” and “grace.”
The administration declined to comment on Mr. Douglas’s accusations. They did clarify that their lack of response is not specific to this situation, but rather a reflection of both legal considerations and their commitment to respecting the privacy of personnel matters.
In addition to the circumstances surrounding his departure, Mr. Douglas also addressed and acknowledged that he was aware of the concerns raised by some students regarding antisemitism. “I do realize that there is a sentiment amongst students as well as families and possibly even faculty that might paint me as someone who is anti-semitic,” he said.
He explained that during a class work period on Holocaust Memorial Day, he had shown a video featuring a Holocaust survivor. Afterwards, according to Mr. Douglas, he shared a personal reflection to the class, mentioning a Palestinian friend who had been impacted by the events on October 7th and that he believed that it was important to highlight the genocide happening in Gaza. For some students, his words may have come across as insensitive or dismissive, particularly on this day—a holiday dedicated to honoring the millions of Jews murdered during the Holocaust; by shifting the focus, he seemed to be diminishing the historical weight of this day, leading to discomfort and concern among members of the Bishop’s community.
Looking back, Mr. Douglas said he could see how his comments could have been perceived differently than he intended. “The hope was for individuals who were Jewish to be seen in that moment, and it didn’t hit that moment,” he said. Mr. Douglas also clarified, “I am neither pro-Israel or pro-palestine, but instead someone who’s heart goes out to those affected in this moment.”
Next year, Mr. Douglas plans to teach in his hometown Seattle, Washington at University Prep to be closer to his parents. “Being close to family is something I hold dear, and it’s definitely part of the conversation right now,” he said.
As he prepares to leave Bishop’s, Mr. Douglas said, “Ultimately my heart goes out to the Bishop’s community. Hurting students or adding any form of burden to students was never my intent, and irregardless of what my initial intent might have been, the impact that it has had does and should have remorse. I offer them my greatest and deepest apologies.” Mr. Douglas also hopes that students will be able to find passion in something they enjoy. “I hope that you do amazing things, [and] that you’re able to do as well as you can in whatever you’re trying to do,” he said.
