PEORIA, Ill. – Teachers and parents are mounting their concerns about conditions for them and students alike at Glen Oak Community Learning Center.
The teachers told the Peoria Public School Board Monday night the issues range from security breaches to students ending up in soiled clothes.
This teacher worked at Glen Oak for the last four years, and recounts a recent incident where a parent confronted a second grader, without a visitors pass, and after the doors were supposedly locked.
“This adult attempted to approach that child, past my blocking arms and request that they leave the building,” said the teacher. “That adult also told me that I would have to call the police on them that day.”
A number of teachers were concerned that nothing had been doing about ongoing concerns.
“If there are no major changes, so our kids plus ourselves feel safe, there will be more resignations, and multiple transfer requests,” said Kim Thomas, a Glen Oak teacher.
Doctor Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, District Superintendent, says the matters are being taken seriously.
“Some of the things that were mentioned were addressed, and others admin have not heard of them. So, they’ll address those,” said Kherat.
But Kherat — who claims she and other administrators have been at Glen Oak many times — says there are a number of solutions and support mechanisms in place.
Kherat says she was glad to hear, though, the issues referred to as “concerns” instead of “complaints.”
