The Peoria Unified School District has approved a new policy that prohibits the adoption or promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) frameworks.
Community and governing board members talked for nearly an hour Thursday night about the policy, which was revised from a version presented last month.
While some were pleased that the new version removed references to Critical Race Theory, which they argued was a non-issue in the district, there were still disagreements about the definition of DEI.
Melissa Ewing was the only member to vote no, referencing an attempt by the Trump administration earlier this year to withhold federal funds from public schools with DEI programs.
“The president and the courts couldn’t even decide ‘what is the proper definition of DEI?’ and the courts determined that what he put in there was vague and unconstitutional," Ewing said.
She also voiced concerns about what the policy would mean for students with disabilities and whether or not it complies with federal laws.
Proponents of the policy, like Board President Heather Rooks, say it allows the district to recognize students’ individual efforts, rather than seeing them as their skin color or disability.
“We’re going to see them as an individual and we’re going to support them through their academic success, through their merit and through their individual effort," Rooks said.
In the policy, the district "interprets “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” to refer to a framework that prioritizes identity-based characteristics (such as race, gender, or ethnicity) over merit, competence and individual ability."
It goes on to say that the district will remain in full compliance with all applicable federal and state civil-rights and nondiscrimination laws.
