Social studies teacher Sam Harris died by suicide on Tuesday evening. Harris, who was 40, was in his ninth year of teaching at M-A.
Since arriving in 2015, Harris taught a variety of subjects, including Government, AP U.S. History, U.S. History, World Studies, and Life Skills. This school year, he had been teaching APUSH and just started a new semester of Government.
“Mr. Harris brought so much passion into the classroom every day. He wasn’t just teaching history—he was living it, sharing it, making it matter,” junior Shawnak Shivakumar said. “He had this way of pulling in every student, even the ones who didn’t want to participate. To me, he was more than a teacher—he was a friend and yet a mentor, someone who truly believed in me and cheered us on.”
He wasn’t just teaching history—he was living it, sharing it, making it matter. He had this way of pulling in every student, even the ones who didn’t want to participate.
Junior Shawnak Shivakumar
“Sam Harris was an exceptional man and educator who devoted himself to his students and his subjects with unwavering passion. His intellect was matched only by his commitment to helping students understand their pivotal role in a functioning democracy,” Andrew Stuart, who co-taught Government with Harris, said.
“His belief in his students and his unwavering optimism about the power of education left a lasting mark on everyone who had the privilege of learning from him,” Sathvik Nori ‘21 shared. Nori, who is now a District Trustee, had Harris for World Studies his freshman year and has maintained a close relationship with him—the pair went golfing together last year.
Harris was raised in Fresno and attended Fresno State and UCLA, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in History. He earned his teaching credentials at San Francisco State University and taught at a middle school in South San Francisco before coming to M-A.
“In the two years I had Mr. Harris, I felt like I really got to know him. When I talked to him, I really felt like an equal,” senior Rowan Hanley said. “He had an unconventional style of teaching, where it really felt like we could end up discussing anything from current events to politics to what our plans were on Friday night.”
“After class, he’d ask me about my life and where I wanted to go to college. I had planned to ask him to walk me at graduation. You’d always see him at the football and basketball games supporting the team. The news of his passing hit me really hard,” he added.
Students and colleagues appreciated Harris’ compassion and attentiveness.
“I remember, my second or third week in his class, I was going through a really rough time mentally, and somehow, he noticed when no one else did. He checked in with me after class and asked if I was doing alright, which really meant a lot to me—to know that someone cared,” Cleo Rehkopf ‘24 said.
“He was one of the funniest teachers I had,” Ziomara Navarro ’24 said. “He cared about his students and their personal struggles regarding mental health and family matters. I’m grateful for the lessons, support, laughter, and trick questions he had for my class.”
“Sam was a thoughtful and introspective person with a big heart and quirky and fun sense of humor,” social studies teacher Katie Lavoie shared. “I think it is important for people to know how much Sam valued relationships with people. His friends. His family. The elderly members in his community he went out of his way to get to know and spent time with to ensure they did not feel alone. He possessed a lot of empathy.”
I think it is important for people to know how much Sam valued relationships with people. His friends. His family. The elderly members in his community he went out of his way to get to know and spent time with to ensure they did not feel alone.
Social Studies teacher Katie Lavoie
As a U.S. History and Government teacher, Harris was committed to helping his students understand the history that impacted their daily lives. His passion was bolstered by his seemingly infinite knowledge of niche history trivia. He often mixed his structured lessons with fun facts and stories, wanting students to not just learn history, but to enjoy it.
“This is my second year at M-A, so I’m still getting to know people, and Mr. Harris was one of the first people to welcome me here since we were working on teaching APUSH together,” social studies teacher Karen Ramroth said. “I could tell immediately that he loved teaching and really tried to give his students a learning experience, as opposed to a test prep experience.”
“Something everyone should remember about Sam was his dedication,” former M-A social studies teacher Mallory Byrne said. “Sam spent almost an entire decade at M-A. He loved teaching history and making it relevant to students’ lives. Sam was a caring educator who prompted students to make connections between the past and the present.”
Known for being thoughtful and outspoken, Harris was regularly interviewed by the M-A Chronicle and The Mark on everything from rap beef to politics.
Harris was a music enthusiast, with his diverse range of favorite artists including jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, rock band Radiohead, and rapper MF DOOM. He shared this love of music with his students, decorating his classroom with posters and asking students to add their own favorite songs to a class playlist.
In 2017, Harris coached the girls golf team at M-A. As an avid golfer, he frequently spent time on the course outside of his coaching duties, oftentimes with fellow teachers or former students.
He was also known for his love of his dog, Oliver. “He was a very proud and devoted dog dad to Ollie, who accompanied him everywhere he went—from hikes to restaurants, to APUSH summer collaboration sessions. Our shared love for our fur babies is one thing that we initially connected over,” Lavoie said.
“I have never seen anyone care so deeply for a pup the way Sam cared for Oliver,” Byrne shared.
“He was always a great guy and teacher to me,” Rowan Kelly ‘24 said. “He would always be there if I needed some help, he loved to talk about sports and life with me, and he kept his class engaging and in tune with the present.”
“Above all, I will remember Sam for his boundless energy and kindness, which made him not only a remarkable teacher but a genuine friend and collaborator. Over the five years we co-taught, I learned so much from him, and I will deeply miss his presence,” Stuart said.
“I will always cherish the conversations we had,” Nori said. “I know Mr. Harris’ kindness and encouragement, along with a little bit of healthy snark, will be deeply missed at M-A.”
Students can visit G-12 at any time to leave notes for Harris.
If you or someone you know are thinking about suicide, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
