A Kansas school board reportedly rejected textbooks because they believed that the teaching materials were too “biased” against Donald Trump.
A proposed contract with a Boston-based education company was also voted down by the newly elected conservative majority on the Derby Board of Education over their public statements on diversity, equity, and inclusion, KCUR-FM reported.
The $400,000 contract with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt was rejected even though it was recommended by Derby High School teachers, who requested a new school curriculum after being left without social studies textbooks for several years.
But board members reportedly said that parts of textbooks and other learning materials offered by the company did not reflect fairly on Trump’s first presidency.
“My biggest concern … involved what I would define as bias of omission,” board member Cathy Boote said, according to the outlet.
Boote then shared examples of the material she deemed did not accurately reflect the president-elect’s time in office, including the controversial “Muslim travel ban.”
“Then there was the ‘Muslim ban,’” Boote said and made air quotes as she spoke.
“With no mention of the fact it wasn’t aimed at all Muslim countries, just those that have no ability to vet. Safety was the top priority, but they leave it sit there, with no explanation, to make you think he was xenophobic.”
Trump’s travel ban, issued in January 2017, restricted entry into the US for certain people from foreign nations. It was nicknamed the “Muslim ban” by Trump as well as his aides and critics because a majority of those affected by the executive actions came from predominantly Muslim countries.
President Joe Biden issued a proclamation revoking the travel ban when he entered office, but in May this year Trump said he would reinstate the ban.
“We will bring back the travel ban — you remember the famous travel ban,” he said.
Boote said that she was also concerned about the way Trump was portrayed in the text books when it came to trade deals with China, the January 6 Capitol riot and his position on Cuba.
Another board member, Michael Blankenship, reportedly agreed with the concerns raised by Boote, but also rejected the proposal to work with the company because of a pro-Black Lives Matter statement they made in 2020.
“We believe Black Lives Matter [and] we believe in social justice,” the company said.
“That’s a pretty bold statement,” Blankenship reportedly said. “Wouldn’t anybody want to know, ‘What do you mean?’ I still don’t have that answer.”
The Independent has contacted Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for comment.
