The Peoria Unified School District Govnerning Board has tabled an agreement with service provider Bloom 365, a nonprofit whose mission is to prevent teen violence before it happens.
The service provider has become a lightning rod with a group of parents who say Bloom 365 is pushing an ideology and has overstepped its reach in involving students in discussions regarding LGBTQ, race, toxic masculinity, and other issues. Bloom 365 officials say they are pushing no agenda other than keeping schools and students safe.
However Brent Cobb, a representative for the Republican Party in Arizona Legislative District 27, delivered a packet of information to the board during the public comment seciton of the meeting regarding Bloom 365 that prompted the board to vote to table the agreement in order to review this new information.
The packet was not immediately available to the Peoria Independent.
It is unclear when the board will next consider the agreement.
Chief Student Services Officer Carter Davidson stressed that Bloom 365 is not used for every student, but only for students who have a particular need.
“Any student that was going to go through any type of conversation with Bloom 365, we would have an opportunity for our parents to opt in so we have that collaborative effort to help the child," he said.
Boardmember Rep. Beverly Pingerelli said she would not support the agreement.
"Since I have been on the board for eight years, I have focused on academics and I can belive that most of the students social and emotional well being will improve greatly if they are successful in school and so that is where I stand," she said.
Boardmember Rebecca Hill said she had reservations about supporting Bloom 365.
“It worries me and it troubles me greatly that we are talking about kids that are at risk that might have suicidal tendancies, that might have special needs like we see at Peoria Flex Academy," she said. "I do agree that maybe there is a need out there for a specific program to aid and assist these kids through a difficlut period of their life that they are going through. But I just don’t think Bloom 365 is the answer."
President David Sandoval said that students in the public school system come with many different dynamics.
"I have spent time at the school sites who use this program, and they see the value in Bloom 365," he said. "For me, if a student comes to us with some level of trauma or any behavioral issues, whatever those dymaics are that put them in that position to not be prepared to learn, that’s where a lot of these programs benefit our kids."
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
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