PPS Superintendent’s tweet sparks anger from teachers

PEORIA (WEEK) — There’s some infighting going on at Peoria Public Schools over a series of tweets sent by Superintendent Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat.

The Director of Communications for PPS says on Wednesday night, Dr. Kherat was participating in a nationwide conversation with different superintendents.

Each administrator answered the same series of questions.

Kherat’s response to a question about how teaching and learning will look different in 2021 is what sparked the controversy.

“Teaching & Learning look differently- honestly this is a tough one but doable. I visited 12 buildings today and over 30 classrooms overall I saw the same old crap worksheets; 9×2 on the board. At cabinet today I said hey it is up to us to provide specific strategies #SuptChat,” Kherat wrote.

Not long after that tweet, Peoria Federation of Teachers President Jeff Adkins-Dutro responded in a Facebook video condemning Kherat for criticizing teachers.

“I find it despicable that a superintendent would criticize her teachers publicly like that via Twitter,” Adkins-Dutro told 25 News on Thursday, “worksheets are part of the lessons and the programming that the district has purchased, and you are required to do it.”

Dr. Kherat clarified her remarks later on Thursday with a series of tweets.

“In response to other questions in the chat, I gave many kudos to our staff for the great work they’ve done in a time of great uncertainty due to the global pandemic. I think our PPS staff is outstanding & responded exceptionally well during this crisis.”

Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat (Twitter)