Forest Hills board approves Great First junior-kindergarten curriculum amid public objections on content and data collection

The Forest Hills Board of Education voted May 19 to approve the district’s recommendation to adopt the Great First junior-kindergarten curriculum despite public commenters and one board member urging additional review.

The vote: The board conducted a roll-call vote on agenda item BC‑1 and approved the recommendation; one board member recorded a “no” vote (Mr. DeBorde) while other members voted yes. (Board roll-call names and recorded votes were entered on the record during the meeting.)

Why it matters: Commenters and at least one board member raised concerns about required readings, the curriculum’s stated emphasis on transformative social-emotional learning (transformative SEL) and equity, and unspecified student data collection tied to the program. Supporters on the board said the curriculum is research-aligned and that district curriculum experts and teachers recommended the adoption to allow materials to be ordered and teachers trained over the summer.

Public comments and substantive objections

Multiple community members spoke during the public-comment portion about specific materials and curricular aims. Tom Nemechek brought an 18-page booklet aimed at parents and educators and urged the district to consider materials addressing exploitation and bullying. Adrian Urban and other commenters said they felt stakeholder voice had been limited and asked for more time and transparency.

Several commenters explicitly criticized a book identified in the curriculum, Bodies Are Cool, saying the book’s illustrations (as described by commenters) include images they found inappropriate for 4- and 5-year-old children. Vicky Slott and others cited curriculum developer materials describing the program’s intent to center children “from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds” and to position “transformative SEL” as foundational. Commenters asked whether the district had the right to require every unit and whether parents could opt children out of specific books or lessons.

Concerns about data and teacher flexibility

Public speakers asked who would collect student data tied to the curriculum, where that data would be stored, and how it would be used; meeting speakers said the district would follow data privacy rules but could not provide full technical details during the public meeting. At least one board member asked whether the curriculum’s approach could conflict with the district’s PBIS (positive behavior interventions and supports) practices; speakers on both sides debated whether teachers would retain discretion to adapt materials for classroom needs.

Board discussion and rationale for approval

Board members who supported adoption repeatedly said the recommendation came from a curriculum-review cohort of district literacy experts and instructional coaches, and they emphasized the need to provide teachers with materials and training before the fall term. Supporters described the curriculum as research-aligned and said that many elements written to address historically underrepresented students also raise instructional quality for all learners.

One board member asked for a delay so trustees could review book lists and units in more depth; that request did not gain a majority.

Ending and next steps

With the recommendation approved, the district will proceed with ordering materials and scheduling teacher training over the summer. Several speakers who asked for more review or for more information about data collection said they would pursue follow-up with district staff; the board directed administrators that members of the community who requested follow-up would receive it from the appropriate administrator.