During a Derby Board of Education meeting on Dec. 9, the board shot down a new Social Studies curriculum by a vote of 4-3 due to their opinion that the curriculum was biased against 

President-elect Donald Trump from his first term.

Some concerns from the board included several statements about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) on the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt website, the publisher in which the textbooks would be purchased. A few board members were also worried about what they considered to be unjust reflections on Trump during his former administration.

The Social Studies curriculum was brought back up at the Monday meeting when board member Mark Boline stated in his report that “the Derby students would be negatively impacted by the decisions” made at the previous meeting.

His opinion coincided with numerous others in the Derby faculty, including DHS teacher Kendall Warkentine, who agreed that the board shooting down the curriculum was disrespectful to the research and hard work done by the teachers to choose that course of study.

“The Social Studies department only cares about quality material for the students,” Warkentine said. “I am thankful for the board … for recognizing that they may have made the wrong decision in their last meeting.”

With all the controversy, board member Michael Blankenship, who voted in opposition of the HMH curriculum, asked whether Boline raised concern on the curriculum again, a month later, with genuine belief that someone else had changed their mind, or did he just want it on record that it was again talked about?

“It’s a 4-3 vote. Do you feel like you’ve changed anyone’s mind?” Blankenship said. “I have lost a lot of votes before … [but] I accepted what the board did.”