While President Bartlet and his staff debate the appropriate response to a controversial new sex education study, there are fears that the parents of a murdered gay teenager should be excused from attending the signing of a hate crimes bill because of the father’s embarrassment about his son’s homosexuality. Josh and Sam meet with an appropriations subcommittee which is investigating Josh’s lack of cooperation in the White House staff drug probe — all of which is designed to expose Leo’s former substance-abuse problem. Toby relishes his verbal duel with some congressmen who have held up the newest appointments for the Public Broadcasting Corporation. C.J. is advised to save a few embarrassing stories for release on Friday to blunt the effect on the media over the weekend, but she also finds time to continue her frisky flirtation with a White House reporter.