Teacher Doug Rogers: “passionate about literature, art and life”

Beloved former CVHS English teacher, Douglas Rogers, passed away on Nov. 30 at the age of 80.

Rogers, who taught in the CVUSD for over 40 years, is remembered by students and friends as a compassionate teacher with a love for literature.

“He was a gifted educator who left a lasting impression on his students,” said George Granger, a former student and member of the Castro Valley Board of Education.

Rogers was born in Salem, Oregon in 1932. Growing up, he attended Salem High School. Rogers later went on to graduate from the University of Oregon, where he played for the basketball team. He earned his teaching credentials from Western Oregon University, and taught in both Salem and Coos Bay early in his career before moving to California and teaching at Canyon High School.

He worked at Canyon High School and CVHS over a span of close to five decades, teaching English and ceramics, and coaching basketball. During his career, he served as English Department chair, sat on numerous curriculum committees, and helped develop and teach the first AP class at CVHS. But of all his accomplishments, Rogers was especially remembered by students and colleagues for his love of literature.

“He was really passionate about literature, art and life,” said Anne Parris, English teacher and Rogers’ wife. “That passion for all the creative aspects of life was something that inspired a lot of students.”

Rogers was also known for pushing his students to achieve the best. He was a tough grader and challenged his students with frequent writing assignments, earning him the infamous title of the “essay teacher.”

“It was no small feat to get an A on any paper,” said Michael Chisholm, a former student and a current English and history teacher at Creekside Middle School. “Yet, his high standards forced me to become a better writer and thinker. I will always be in his debt for that.”

Although Rogers was known for his high standards, he was also known to be very personable and compassionate, striving to connect with each and every one of his students.

“He cared deeply about his students. He cared about making them better writers. He cared about helping them figure out who they wanted to be. He supported them in any kind of thing they wanted to do that was going to help them be better people,” said Parris.

Besides teaching, Rogers enjoyed many hobbies. Rogers appreciated many different forms of art and contributed to many literary activities on campus. He ran the school poetry magazine and painted several murals in English classrooms. Outside of school, Rogers liked to travel, read, make pottery, garden, and play sports.

Rogers was also very devoted to his family. Rogers met his wife while they were English teachers at CVHS.

Parris says that one of the most important things to remember about Rogers is that he didn’t leave anything he wanted to do undone.

“He was doing the things he wanted to do,” said Parris. “There are always more books to read, there always are more places to travel, but he’d been to a lot of the places he wanted to go and he read a lot of the books he’d always meant to read.”

Perhaps Rogers is best captured in one of his favorite quotes: “Literature without insight is a contradiction in terms.”

A memorial service for Rogers will be held at the Castro Valley Community Center on Jan. 26 at 2 p.m.