Peoria Unified School District changes interim superintendent plan amid controversy

The embattled Peoria Unified School District changed its future leadership plans as it continues to deal with the fallout of a teacher-student sex scandal.

During a special meeting Tuesday, the PUSD Governing Board voted to accept Ryan LaDouceur’s withdrawal from consideration to become interim superintendent after Superintendent KC Somers’ resignation goes into effect. Somers’ last day is May 26.

The board then voted to appoint Tahlya Visintainer, a human resources officer, to the interim role during the search for Somers’ permanent replacement.

Each item passed by a 3-2 margin amid accusations that LaDouceur was forced out and that the move was related to allegations that two former Centennial High School teachers were involved in a sexual relationship with a student.

Did Ryan LaDouceur want to be Peoria Unified interim superintendent?

LaDouceur, who has 20 years of public education experience, had been in line for the interim position after being hired as associate to the superintendent in March. His contract for that role will expire June 30 following Tuesday’s vote, but he has a teaching contract in the district for the next school year.

Board member Melissa Ewing said during the meeting that LaDouceur asked to be removed from consideration for the interim superintendent role.

“I appreciate all the work that he does to stay committed to students and I want to be able to honor what his request is with regards to this position,” she said.

However, board member Heather Rooks doesn’t think LaDouceur came to that decision on his own. Rooks had been board president until her colleagues removed her from that role on May 5.

In a Monday X post, she said that her replacement as president, Jeff Tobey, and fellow board member Becky Proudfit “should be ashamed of themselves” for their treatment of LaDouceur after voting to back him on April 23.

“They backstabbed him,” Rooks said in the post.

Was change in plans related to teacher-student sex scandal?

The post included a long statement as well as a screenshot from LaDouceur’s wife that claimed Somers told LaDouceur to remove himself from consideration.

“I am also extremely concerned that the individual being advanced for this role was involved in overseeing Centennial High School’s investigation related to former teachers Haley Beck and Angela Burlaka,” Rooks said in her statement. “Given the seriousness of the concerns surrounding those matters, the public deserves transparency, accountability and open discussion — not a rushed appointment process conducted with minimal public visibility.”

Community member Gabe Johns expressed similar concerns during Tuesday’s meeting.

“Just a month ago, the board chose LaDouceur as interim specifically to investigate ignored reports of teachers grooming and sexually abusing students. Now, they’re replacing that person with an HR executive who joined PUSD less than a year ago,” he said.

The latest move comes as the district faces backlash surrounding its response to allegations that Burlaka and Beck had an inappropriate relationship with a student.

Burlaka, 47, surrendered her teaching certification on Jan. 26, the same day the district terminated her.

Meanwhile, the district fired Beck, 27, on March 26 for violating its sexual harassment policy. Her teaching certificate remains under investigation by the State Board of Education.

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