Peoria school district will keep working with arts groups despite DEI concerns from board members

After much public outcry — and a district leadership recommendation — the Peoria Unified School District governing board voted to continue to fund memberships to several arts associations.

Those music, dance and theatre groups allow for educational opportunities for both teachers and students. They also provide a chance for students to compete or perform for structured feedback, possible scholarships and college recognition.

Membership cuts to groups like the Educational Theatre Association were being considered due to language and policies that mentioned diversity, equity and inclusion.

The board questioned if their federal funding would be at risk given the Trump administration's policies against DEI.

Superintendent KC Somers presented at an August board meeting that after talks with Arizona's Department of Education, they recommend continuing the memberships.

“So that Peoria students and teachers continue to have access to high quality resources, adjudication standards and competitive opportunities, along with professional learning opportunities for performing arts teachers,” Somers said.

A petition titled "Protect Arts Opportunities in Peoria Schools" was created prior to the meeting, and has over 3,000 signatures. At the meeting, more than 60 people, including students, spoke out against the defunding.

Carolyn Mortensen is a part of her school’s drama club, and she said it's about access.

“Participation is voluntary and non-political. Students choose to join. These programs are about skills, teamwork and excellence not ideology,” Mortensen said. “Removing memberships isn’t neutral, it singles out arts students.”

But some board members — like President Heather Rooks — voiced disapproval with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Rooks went as far to say some policies from the theater association are racist.

“I so badly want to support these kids and these programs but as [fellow board member Jeff] Tobey said, these associations need to also be accountable because that is racist,” Rooks said. “They shouldn’t be looking at 50% of the awards goes to [people] based on skin color.”

She is referring to the association's Racial Equity Action Plan, which mentions a goal “to celebrate the value of BIPOC contributions to the field and ensure equity, radically redesign and revise EdTA and ITS awards, including the Hall of Fame, from an anti-racist lens, ensuring adjudication panels have equal BIPOC/non-BIPOC representation and at least 50% of awards go to BIPOC.”

By the end of the meeting, the board unanimously voted to continue the arts memberships with room to reconsider in the future.