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Incoming PPS Board Member Murphy Favors Modified Calendar, Compromise On Renaming Schools

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Mike Murphy

Mike Murphy thinks Peoria Public Schools District 150 should pass on a balanced calendar proposal in favor of a modified plan, and he has a suggestion for handling a controversial effort to remove the racially charged names of six schools.

Murphy was elected to a five-year term on the board of education on Tuesday, defeating incumbent Dan Walther by a 51.5% to 48.5% margin.

“It was a close race. I know I had a lot of support, but I know I have a lot of work to do to show just what exactly I stand for and what I'm capable of doing once I get onto the board,” said Murphy, adding one thing he wants to see is a compromise over the renaming issue.

“One of the things that the families that I've talked to say is that it's not that no one understands or doesn't understand necessarily why they are wanting these schools renamed,” he said. “Some people don't want them renamed; they say it's trying to cancel culture.

“I think that a good compromise to this would be possibly – if they are going to be renamed, which I believe that board has already decided that they're going to be renamed – my suggestion, and that of the people I've talked to, is to not rename them after people, to look into renaming them after things like trees or streets that these schools are located on.”

Murphy pointed to Glen Oak and Charter Oak as examples, noting a compromise along those lines would eliminate any possibility of having to rename schools again in the future.

“Truthfully, you can name it after a living person or a previously living person, but there would probably be some sort of dirt or some sort of an offense that you can find for just about anybody,” he said.

Murphy’s five-year term does not start until July 1, so he won’t be voting in Monday’s meeting where the board will take action on a proposal to change the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School to instead honor civil rights leader, the Rev. C.T. Vivian.  

The board also is expected to hear more and possibly vote on the balanced calendar proposalMonday. The plan would cut summer break down from its traditional 60 days to just 30, potentially beginning this fall. Spring break would be extended from five days to 15, and a new 15-day "fall break" would be introduced.

Murphy said that while the balanced calendar does offer some benefits, there are too many unanswered and open-ended questions.

“So for me to fully support the balance calendar as presented, I think that that's not something that I could do quite yet. But what I am in favor of is the modified calendar that they have proposed,” he said, referring to an option for a 45-day summer break.

“Basically this whole process is really about increasing student achievement: How can we – with more breaks, maybe not quite as long – how can we better serve the children at the schools? I think that there's definitely some great opportunities to look into with this modified calendar.”

Murphy said one of his main focuses for when he does begin serving is to improve how the district administration relates to parents and teachers.

“It really comes down to just being a voice for the families … and just really bridge that that line of communication,” he said. “That's really what I want to do; I want to be able to really just echo the voice of what the families in our schools are wanting.”

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Contact Joe at jdeacon@ilstu.edu.