All dogs are the best dogs. Humans, not so much.

Welcome to the May 29 PUSD Board Meeting

Well Secular Fam, another week, another PUSD board meeting. This meeting just so happened to occur on one of the worst days of my life. The evening of this meeting coincided with the passing of my beloved best friend, Moxie.

Moxie was a beautiful rescue pit mix that found me right before the 2020 election. She was by my side through some of the toughest times of my life, and you can read more about the most perfect dog that ever existed here. I love you, my Moxie girl. RIP.

I ended up watching some of this meeting while I was at the animal hospital ER (shout out to VetMED for their compassion and professionalism) because I needed something to distract me from the inevitable terrible outcome I was expecting. Because of my circumstances, I was feeling extra salty and annoyed already. 

So be warned: my tolerance for all the ridiculous nonsense that just oozes from the mouths of these Homemakers for Hitler was at an all-time low. 

This Substack may be extra spicy, so if you’re easily offended, you may want to stop reading here. 

First, I do my best not to disparage believers in this space. One of our fastest growing member groups are those who consider themselves “religious,” but as I was prepping myself for the diagnosis of my beloved Moxie, all I could think was “This is how I know there’s no god. These hateful Twatzies spew their vitriol with impunity, and Moxie’s body is filling with fluids.” 

Moxie had more class in her dewclaw than these Crackpots with Crockpots have in their entire family tree.

The meeting started in the regular fashion with a moment of silence and the approval of the meeting minutes. Board Member Rooks once again tried to move public comments to the beginning of the meeting, and she didn’t get a second, so thanks again to all the board members who are out there who refuse to give nonsense a platform. 

It should be noted that some big players decided to descend upon this meeting. Failed AG candidate Abe Hamadeh was there because he’s like, running for something, I guess? Also in attendance were many of the usual suspects, and of course, Arizona’s own J6 Insurrectionist, CD8 Congressional Hopeful, Newly Indicted Fake Elector, Arizona’s Biggest Manbaby, recently reprimanded Nazi sympathizer, AND Mama Fratelli Look Alike, Senator Anthony Kern (R-LD27).

I think he decided to release a new campaign picture or something recently? Keeping up with all these Ku Klux Karens (and Kyles {and Kerns}) is hard!

During board updates, Board Member Rooks complained that some board members were prohibited from giving speeches during graduation ceremonies (they weren’t), and Board Member Sorensen announced his resignation (!!!!). His resignation is coming in just at the cusp of the six month threshold. It will be interesting to see if Maricopa County School Superintendent Steve Watson, will appoint someone or just wait and let the current TWELVE interested candidates sort it out amongst themselves. We shall see…

There was a brief discussion about “liquidated damages” whereby a district can charge educators a penalty for resigning after signing a contract. These fees can be anywhere from $500 to a few thousand dollars, and the treasurer of the Peoria Education Association (PEA) advocated for doing away with liquidated damages. The board voted to approve the resignations and to table the discussion about revising that policy.

Given the current state of public education in Arizona, I don’t think we should be charging teachers who resign because teaching in AZ is hella stressful, teachers are wildly underpaid, and evangelical extremists are out of control, getting support from national social media hate profiles like Libs of TikTok. 

There were some routine agenda items, including a new hire and some curriculum adoption updates. Next up was the agenda item that the evangelical extremists were there for. Item 7.4 was for the renewal of a mental health and wellness grant that is running out this year. After careful consideration and conducting deep research being told by their broflake overlords that they should complain about this, that’s just what they showed up to do.

So let’s break down this agenda item real quick! First, PUSD is one of the largest districts in Arizona with a total of 43 schools. Of those schools, 26 (over 60%) are Title I schools (schools where 40% of students or more qualify for free/reduced lunch). This Mental Health Service Professionals (MHSP) grant has been in place in PUSD since 2019 (obtained under the 34 felonies guy’s tenure, bee-tee-dubs). This new MHSP grant application merely expands the grants to seven schools in PUSD that currently do not have school-based mental health support professionals on campus. 

Grant-writing is technical, difficult, and time-consuming. Essentially, this grant provides extra staffing and funding for students’ mental health needs, so no one would possibly be against more funding at a time when Arizona falls 49th when it comes to per pupil spending and dead last in student-to-counselor ratio, right? RIGHT?

Well, of course these Book Ban Barbies opposed it for reasons I find too stupid and tiresome to write about. So let’s just discuss how effing idiotic it is that these arseholes were arguing AGAINST grant funding to support students’ mental health needs.

They claimed that the grant would force schools to “data mine” information from students and use them as “lab rats.” They said that schools would sidestep getting parental permission (this isn’t a thing because it’s against the law), and of course, that they’d rather see more academic counselors than mental health counselors and social workers. They really don’t get that we need to provide access to Maslow’s Hierarchy before we can get to Bloom’s Taxonomy. 

Secular Fam, I can tell you, as a former board member, that it’s unheard of to turn down grant opportunities. I mean, researching and writing grants is no easy task, so no school or district would even put in the effort unless it was funding programs that they needed. One ignorant conspiracy theorist after another came up to the lectern to argue against imaginary scenarios and completely misrepresent a grant that could literally save lives. It was wild, and frankly: I’m over it. 

Queen of the Blatherers, and sister to Arizona’s own J6 Insurrectionist, CD8 Congressional Hopeful, Newly Indicted Fake Elector, Arizona’s Biggest Manbaby, recently reprimanded Nazi sympathizer, AND Mama Fratelli Look Alike, Senator Anthony Kern (R-LD27), 

implied that children who are dealing with “suicidal ideations” are just lacking “motivation” in one of the most disgusting displays of “pick me” I’ve seen for a while. But she likes sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong so this tracks. 

So feel free to pray for me if that’s your kink, 

or maybe just donate to the work we do here at Secular AZ since white Christian nationalism is the greatest threat to our democracy. 

Bowles also shared that she’s suddenly worried about taxpayer dollars, though all of these yahoos are huge supporters of vouchers and any and all measures to privatize public education.

When they say they’re concerned with runaway spending, they’re lying. It’s that simple. 

Literally in the same speech, she extolled the runaway voucher program. 

Next up was Turning Point USA (TPUSA) operative Tiffany Benson, and blissfully, there was an audio malfunction. It was nice. Maybe there is a god? 

Speakers railed against diversity, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), a perceived lack of parental rights, “misuse” of taxpayer dollars in this grant-funded initiative, privacy concerns, “woke counseling,” and a whole bunch of other completely fabricated concerns. Their commitment to outrage is unmatched. I wish they’d get a hobby. 

Once the speakers were done, the board had a chance to discuss, and Board Member Ewing, who is a mental health professional, very politely pointed out how needed mental health supports are in our schools. She also pointed out (again in the nicest way) how dumb the opposition to this grant is. She referred to the data that backs up the need for this grant, and I’m so glad she’s there for the kids in PUSD. 

Board Member Rooks showed how little she understands how the world works, and instead of finding any of it comical, I just felt alarmed. Her rejection of facts and data and her inability to exhibit basic reading comprehension has me genuinely worried for the students and families of PUSD.

Like, it’s all fun and games until the Suburban Sociopaths win the majority on this board and/or countless others across the state. We’ve seen this play out before, and in Casa Grande, it resulted in the firing of a beloved superintendent. In Dysart, it resulted in doing away with social workers. 

It’s even more alarming when you consider how hard these extremists fight against the health and well-being of children wherever they attend school. When Governor Hobbs outlined the accountability measures for vouchers that she’d like to see, she was villainized by these people. Why? Well, because every accusation is a confession. 

Really, I can only assume that when people rally against protecting children, it is because they want carte blanche to be able to hurt and abuse them. 

Think about it: why would anyone justify unchecked, un-fingerprinted adults to be with children in religious settings?

Why would they fight against medically-accurate, age-appropriate Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) when every study shows it keeps kids safer from sexual predators?

Why would they want to limit students’ access to caring adults who can help them get through crises? 

Just look at their nominee for president. All this nonsense about wanting to protect children is really about protecting pedophiles and groomers. Many of these folks are in a toxic relationship with an abusive god, so I’m not surprised.

Gee, I wonder why so many younger generations are rejecting organized religion? All of this faux concern about god being removed from schools, about bogus accounts of child sex trafficking, and about “litter boxes in public schools” is to distract from the calls that are coming from inside the house. 

It’s dumb, dishonest, and most importantly, dangerous. And it shows that these folks are willing to protect real sexual predators to, I guess, own the libs or something? Remember “Randy” Randy Kaufman? 

On election day, 2022, I met a woman outside a polling place who said that Donald Trump was a “righteous man” and she was passing out voter guides encouraging folks to vote for a public masturbator. If they tell you they’re concerned about kids’ safety, they’re lying. 

Board Member Rooks attempted to paint the process as shady (it’s not), and complained about diversity (again). She complained about race, gender, and something called “enthicity,” whatever that is. She also claimed that this grant is essentially racial profiling against wypipo (it’s not). She complained about the Biden Administration increasing this grant because she thinks this is a calculated effort to indoctrinate children (it’s not). 

If you’re weird like me, and want to observe the dangerous and completely false mis/disinformation she was spreading, you can watch here. 

Warning: she comes across as an unhinged conspiracy theorist.

An employee of the district dispelled each and every one of Board Member Rooks’ falsehoods, but it won’t matter. In fact, shortly after this meeting, Rooks went straight to her Xitter to double-down on the false nonsense she spewed at the meeting. I swear, these folks seem to hate children. 

I imagine them seeing a child in distress at school, and saying, “sorry, Jimmy, I can’t console you or find any caring adults to support you because you’re probably just lacking motivation and that’s why you’re so sad that you were evicted last night/your grandmother died/your mom and dad are separated.” 

But I guess if most of these folks raised their kids using the fundamentalist Christian “blanket-training” method, they clearly DO hate children. I guess they just want to make sure that no one will be able to help these children unravel their own trauma until they’ve moved out of their oppressive, abusive evangelical homes? She referenced her opinions (which aren’t based on facts or data) and her feelings (which seem to be based on an insatiable need to complain) to justify her opposition to this vote. As a follower of the Arizona Legislature, this is standard behavior, and since she fangirls a lot of the worst Arizona lawmakers, this all tracks. 

Board President Proudfit was up next to share her thoughts and ask questions. She asked first about the “diversity” piece. The staff member assured her that legal counsel was consulted, and they felt there were no laws that were violated. She then asked, since this grant has been in place now for five years, if the admin could provide a reflection on this grant and share the effects of this grant on student populations.

The district staff relayed that due to COVID, there’s been a “start/stop” feeling about this grant, but that thousands of children have been served by it and benefited from it.

President Proudfit then shared her own experience with mental health supports on school campuses and her own children. 

She shared that her family has utilized the mental health supports in PUSD. She shared that she’s never heard of teachers indoctrinating kids on all of her school visits.

She shared that she’s never heard of staff trying to block parents from making decisions about their children. She shared that she’s never encountered a school employee who wants to break the law. 

She showed frustration with this misinformation campaign being promoted by her own party. In fact, she showed a deeper understanding about all these lies and conspiracy theories than most of her fellow GOP colleagues (except maybe Stephen Richer or Bill Gates).

It made me wonder why people like President Proudfit or Vice President Paul Carver in Deer Valley (DVUSD) stay in a party that seems to deny the foundations upon which their party was founded: small government; local control; family values; rule of law; fiscal responsibility. 

Additionally, they want to deny the foundations upon which this country was founded. Did you know that 40% of Americans are cool with fascism? And even more in the GOP think that fascism is just nifty as long as it doesn’t directly affect them. So why President Proudfit & DVUSD VP Carver identify with a party that goes against most of what they say at the dais is a puzzler for sure. 

Either way, she pointed out the f*ckery and douchebaggery of these imbeciles and cited her personal experience, and I was grateful for it. The majority of the board did such a great job! So please, show the ENTIRE board some love by sending an email to thank them for passing this. 

And for those of you who send emails to your local school boards, but EXCLUDE the lone one or two dissenters, I’m here to ask you to not do that. Remember, these folks are part of a governing body. Too many of them think they were elected to be superintendent and do not understand the governing body they are a part of. 

It’s up to us to remind them that the majority of the board is the will of the community, and to say otherwise isn’t true and only the worst kind of narcissists would separate themselves from the board they belong to.

So much more was said during this debate, that I encourage all of you to watch the video. When people say someone “drank the Kool-Aid,” this exchange should be in the dictionary as a reference. 

Rooks is so clearly parroting the talking points she’s been fed by right-wing pundits, she no longer knows how to approach information or disseminate it. On her Xitter, she squawks talking points from the likes of Ken Paxton, Riley Gaines, Betsy DeVos, and Chaya Raichik. If her entire demeanor didn’t exude hatred, I might feel sorry for her. But it does, sooooo…

Even though President Biden wasn’t in the meeting, Board Member Rooks kept bringing him up, and blah, blah, blah, blah, WHO CARES???

The most important takeaway here is that a sitting board member in a suburban Phoenix public school district in 2024 voted against additional funding and staffing because of “woke” or something. 

Don’t forget, this isn’t new. Last summer, Board Member Rooks and Former Board Member Hill voted against a free computer science program because of “woke.”

Motion passed, 4:1 with Rooks being the sole dissenter.

Next up was a bunch of policy readings that are super-standard, and during one of the agenda items, Board Member Rooks pushed back against experts at the Arizona School Board Association (ASBA), and squabbling over terms like “licensed” and “certified.” And suddenly we were at Public Comments. 

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If anything that was being said was important, I’d write about it, but there was a lot of standard garbage (Title IX, bathrooms, due process). However, there were a bunch of newcomers who were advocating for their principal at Peoria HS. It seems the principal at PHS was put on administrative leave, but I’m not really sure why. All I know is that it’s very clear that the PHS principal who has been put on leave was beloved. I hope that she gets the due process she deserves, despite the fact that many parents in the district do their best to deny due process to employees in the district.

Tiffany Benson gave a weird performance that I can only assume is a cry for help. As someone who has been trained on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), I worry that Ms. Benson has a high ACES score. I hope that whoever hurt her pays for it someday, and that she eventually heals herself from the trauma she’s likely endured. It gets better, Tiffany. 

But mostly, I’m worried that Ms. Benson seems to have crossed a line, what with all her eye rolls, odd giggles, and smug accusations during her comments. Her demeanor was off and almost threatening, so I’m very glad that the good officers of Peoria PD are at every meeting in case anyone comes unglued during these meetings. She also disparaged the educators and other professionals in the district, complained about out-of-control taxes, and went on with a rant that unraveled and unraveled and unraveled until she - you know, the concerned taxpayer - encouraged all attendees to use ESA vouchers.

Probably since they’re so FisCaLlY rEsPonSiBlE!

And with that, another PUSD meeting was in the books. 

Soooo, Secular Fam…if it’s up to them, this is our New Normal. Board meetings will linger on for 3-6 hours, so conspiracy theorists can say every thought that’s ever entered their heads. Or…

NOT! 

You know the drill. There are a DOZEN people running for a position on the PUSD board, but only a handful actually care about public education. Who do you want running our public school districts in Arizona? 

Secular AZ is running a series of candidate forums from now until the election, so be sure to sign up to receive our alerts so you can stay informed.