Peoria Public Schools will be adopting an LGBTQ+ inclusive history curriculum starting with the 2021-2022 school year.
At Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, Hult Center Adolescent Health Coordinator Becca Mathis and Executive Director of Central Illinois Friends Deric Kimler presented an update from the Legacy Committee inresponse to Illinois House Bill 246. The bill, which went into effect in July 2020, mandates LGBTQ+ inclusion in all history curricula in Illinois.
Mathis and Kimler led the committee to implement the new no-cost curriculum that was created by the Legacy Project, a Chicago-based non-profit focused on highlighting LGBTQ+ figures throughout history.
As part of the planning process, numerous local organizations contributed to training sessions for Peoria Public Schools staff to prepare them to navigate diverse discussions and to use proper terminology. Mathis said LGBTQ+ youth across the country are disproportionately affected when it comes to bullying, harassment and suicidal thoughts. But when schools are transformed to be a more welcoming space, those numbers can change.
“Students a part of this particular community experience very significant health disparities,” said Mathis.“The goal of implementing more inclusive curriculum is to make sure that students feel that they are learning in a very safe environment, and that they also feel like they are connected and a part of their schools.”
Kimler emphasized the importance of the curriculum and encouraged the district to take an official stance on being an inclusive system—an action members of the committee considered a top priority.
“Peoria Public Schools is already considered a safe place for a lot of LGBTQ families that is an option outside of Chicago,” said Kimler. “There’s not very many options for LGBTQ families to feel safe outside of Chicago, and we’ve developed a place here in Peoria.”
Superintendent Dr. Sharon Kherat applauded Mathis and Kimler’s work, and underscored the spirit of collaboration in bringing the curriculum to Peoria.
“That’s one of our strengths as a school district,in terms of our collaboration with our entire community,”said Kherat. “It exceeded my expectations.”
The addition of the Legacy curriculum will round out more inclusive course offerings, as the Black History 365 curriculum is set to be fully implemented in Fall 2021 as well.
Referring to a number of historical figures included in the curriculum, Kimler reiterated the good these updates can do for students across the Peoria Public Schools system.
“We’re standing on the shoulders of many, many LGBTQ people in our history that didn’t just pave the way for LGBTQ individuals, but all of us here,” said Kimler.“It’s important to let these children...understand that there are people that are just like them that made a ginormous difference in their lives.”
Also at Monday night’s meeting, the board approved a motion to hold a modified calendar pilot at Harrison Community Learning Center for the 2021-2022 school year. Board member Lynne Costic is a proponent of the pilot and commended Harrison principal Fabian Daniels for her willingness to participate.
“I’m very happy that at least one school did decide that they wanted to give it a try because that’s the only way that we’re going to find out whether it works or not,”said Costic. “Kudos to Fabian and her staff for (being) willing to step out of the comfort zone and take apart in a pilot program.”
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