PEORIA, Ill. — A newer social-emotional learning program, which was implemented with much fanfare by Peoria Public School leaders, has more recently come under scrutiny over its perceived lack of proper diversity, among other criticism.
District 150 Board of Education member Dr. Anni Reinking was the person to lend voice to such concerns on Monday night as board members received an update on the progress of the RISE Academy.
“Looking at the pictures that came across, it was all children of color and we know that students who are not children of color may also benefit from a program like this,” said Reinking near the end of the presentation.
District 150 Superintendent Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat responded, saying the RISE program utilizes a “rigorous” screening process to select the students it serves.
“This is a very positive program,” she said.
Reinking explained her position further, stating that her concern extended into an issue of optics for the district itself.
She said, “I would just want to make sure that our school district is not perpetuating negative perceptions of black male children.”
Another concern raised about the program Monday night was that it may not be doing quite well enough at efficiently bringing rehabilitated students back into the local education system as a whole.
The RISE Academy is designed to help kindergarten through fourth grade students “rise” above trauma and difficult circumstances at home and in their neighborhoods in order to set them up for better education.
It’s been in operation within Peoria Public Schools now for roughly four months.
