Tell Peoria Unified School Board: Don’t Cut Perfoming Arts Programming

It’s time to take action in your community: If you can, show up at Thursday night’s Peoria Unified School Board meeting. If you can’t be there in person, speak up by contacting PUSD board members.

We’ve learned that the PUSD board is voting for a “DEI” policy that would result in cutting funding for performing arts programming, including marching festivals, concerts, honor band, all-state, teacher conferences, etc. PUSD parents are already up in arms and a petition has been created.

You can learn more and access the petition (and talking points) here.

We also prepared a few talking points, below.

What you can do: 

Show up for Thursday’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 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

🎤 Talking Points Against Cutting Ties with Performing Arts Orgs over DEI

1. DEI is Not Illegal — It’s Protected

• 
  No federal law bans DEI: There is no legal basis for cutting ties with organizations simply because they embrace diversity and inclusion.
• Even under the Trump administration, no federal policy outlawed DEI principles in education or partnerships.
• Current legal precedents protect freedom of association, and terminating contracts based on inclusive values could invite costly lawsuits for viewpoint discrimination.

2. Punishing Inclusion Harms Students, Not Organizations

• These partnerships exist to benefit students, not the organizations.
• By severing ties, the board is intentionally denying students access to enriching music, theater, and arts opportunities — especially in underfunded or underserved schools.
• This move puts political ideology over student well-being.

3. DEI Policies Support All Students

• DEI doesn’t mean “excluding” anyone — it means making sure all students feel safe, seen, and supported, regardless of race, ability, gender identity, or background.
• Attacking DEI sends the message that only some students matter — a position that’s morally wrong and socially dangerous.

4. The Community Strongly Supports the Arts

• 
  Parents, educators, and students overwhelmingly value arts programs.
  
• Music and performing arts are essential for academic growth, social-emotional development, and college/career readiness.
• These partnerships help deliver high-quality, often otherwise unavailable, programs to public school students.

5. This Push is Ideologically Extreme, Not Educationally Sound

• These board members are promoting an extreme agenda, not focusing on what improves education.
• There is no educational justification for ending partnerships that provide students with meaningful learning experiences.
• Voters and families should ask: “Whose interests are they serving — the students or their own political base?”
  

6. It’s a Slippery Slope

• If partnerships are dissolved for having DEI policies, what’s next? Will books, teachers, or students be banned for believing in equality and inclusion?
  
• This sets a dangerous precedent of censorship and exclusion that undermines democratic values.

7. Fiscal Irresponsibility

• Ending these partnerships may require the district to replace high-quality arts programming with more expensive, less effective alternatives — or worse, cut programs entirely.
• This wastes taxpayer money and diminishes educational outcomes.

🔚 In Summary:

This isn’t about legality. It’s about using power to attack values of inclusion — and students will be the ones who suffer. Public schools are supposed to serve everyone, and that means partnering with organizations that celebrate diversity and broaden opportunity, not restrict it.