Brace yourselves, Secular Fam. This Substack update of the Peoria (PUSD) school board meeting that took place on 1.23.2025 may very well be the dumbest and most dangerous meeting I’ve ever covered. Get your coping mechanisms out, because this is going to be grueling.
I had every intention this weekend to dig in and cover the EIGHT-AND-A-HALF-HOUR meeting from last week, but the level of stupidity at every proposed policy discussion overwhelmed me, so instead, I procrastinated and opted to spend time with my grandson.
But this meeting was so spectacularly bad, the people in PUSD — and really, the entire state of Arizona — need to know how deeply unserious these evangelical extremists are. Everyone needs to know how much damage will happen to districts when cult members gain a majority on the board.
JEANNE CASTEEN has a bachelor’s degree in human communication and history from the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at ASU and a master’s in education, also from ASU. Jeanne has over 11 years of experience teaching in Maricopa County’s public schools. In 2011, Jeanne completed the Emerge Arizona program and in 2012 became a school board member of the Creighton School District. She served as Board President from 2016 through 2020. In 2020, Ms. Casteen ran for Maricopa County School Superintendent, and came within 12,000 votes of winning. She has been awarded the Arizona School Public Relations Association Award for Excellence in Advocacy and Political Contributions to Education as well as the Arizona School Board Association’s All-Arizona School Board Member Award.
Author: Jeanne Casteen, Secular AZ Executive Director
JEANNE CASTEEN has a bachelor’s degree in human communication and history from the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at ASU and a master’s in education, also from ASU. Jeanne has over 11 years of experience teaching in Maricopa County’s public schools. In 2011, Jeanne completed the Emerge Arizona program and in 2012 became a school board member of the Creighton School District. She served as Board President from 2016 through 2020. In 2020, Ms. Casteen ran for Maricopa County School Superintendent, and came within 12,000 votes of winning. She has been awarded the Arizona School Public Relations Association Award for Excellence in Advocacy and Political Contributions to Education as well as the Arizona School Board Association’s All-Arizona School Board Member Award. View all posts by Jeanne Casteen, Secular AZ Executive Director →
