Tell Peoria Unified School District: Don’t Adopt Harmful Policies to Placate Religious Extremists
It’s time to take action in your community: If you can, show up at tonight’s Peoria Unified School Board meeting. If you can’t be there in person, speak up by contacting PUSD board members.
Why? Board President Heather Rooks, perhaps best known for reading religious scripture at past board meetings, is introducing an agenda item to ban Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies over trumped-up concerns about critical race theory (which is not taught in Arizona’s public elementary, middle or high schools). This policy will harm students — especially those who are already marginalized and underserved.
Click here to read agenda item 8.5.
In addition, Rooks is introducing an agenda item that will mandate that any behavioral tracking of students is hand-written or via email. This removes a very important tool from educators’ toolbox: communication. At a time when teachers do so much with so little while facing vitriol from evangelical extremists in their community, why would anyone want to make their jobs harder, when all they want to do is help children and connect them to the resources they need?
Click here to read agenda item 8.3.
We’ve also learned that there’ll be a discussion of board members sitting in on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings with staff. Apparently, Rooks has taken it upon herself to do so.
This is highly irregular and a big conflict of interest. Every family should have the same opportunity for advocacy for their children, not just the ones with political connections. A board member’s job is to set policy and oversee the district, not to micromanage every aspect of a public school district (kind of like why presidents have never been involved in the Kennedy Honors). It may also invite litigation since IEPs are protected by federal and state laws. AND if that IEP becomes part of a legal dispute, the board member is compromised and would need to recuse themselves from voting on how to resolve it.
What you can do:
Show up for tonight’s school board meeting. Get there early, fill up the seats with supporters of reason, and speak up in support of DEI policies which have been found to eliminate barriers, provide support structures for students, foster a welcoming environment for all, and boost academic performance and engagement.
Meeting details:
Peoria Unified School District
6330 W. Thunderbird Road, Glendale, Arizona 85306
Doors open at 6:00 PM (get there early)
If you can, speak at the meeting and let the PUSD board know your position on anti-DEI, student behavior tracking, and board members sitting in on IEP meetings. If you cannot attend in-person, contact the Governing Board and let them know your thoughts:
- Heather Rooks hrooks@pusd11.net
- Jeff Tobey jtobey@pusd11.net
- Janelle Bowles jbowles@pusd11.net
- Melissa Ewing meewing@pusd11.net
- Becky Proudfit rproudfit@pusd11.net
Want to get more involved? Join the Peoria United Parent Council (PUPC). This district-wide parent group has been organized to offer parents opportunities to be influential voices in the decisions that affect our children’s education.
Click here to learn more or contact PUPC at peoriaupcmail@gmail.com.
In Solidarity,
Jeanne Casteen
Secular AZ
To view the entire agenda, click here, then click on the green “Agendas” button. Under “Meetings,” select “Regular Board Meeting” then “View the Agenda.
https://secularaz.salsalabs.org/pusdalert