Hillsborough board approves education, grant and personnel package; 'She Kills Monsters' adoption draws objections

The Hillsborough Township Board of Education approved a slate of education, operations and personnel motions during its Dec. 16 meeting, but one curriculum adoption prompted vocal objections and several negative votes.

On the action agenda the board approved a set of items including travel and related expenses, new course proposals and dual-enrollment arrangements, adoption of textbooks and curricular materials, and acceptance of an amended federal/state/local cyber-security grant of $47,900. The motion on the education package and related items passed following a roll-call vote; members recorded objections and abstentions on specific subitems.

The most contested item was the required adoption of the play "She Kills Monsters" for 10th-grade English (English II CP). Board member Miss Jackson raised content concerns: "what's disconcerting a little bit is some of the content that's in there, especially the sexual references," and asked what alternatives would be available to students or parents who object. Miss stats also objected to the required status of the book and said she would vote against that specific adoption while supporting other items in the package. Several board members defended the vetting process: administrators said the teachers recommended the text during curriculum work, the education committee reviewed it and a PDF was attached to the agenda for members to read.

Votes on the education package recorded mixed positions on the book adoption: multiple members said they would vote "yes" on the overall package while registering a "no" vote or abstention specifically on the "She Kills Monsters" adoption; despite those no votes and abstentions the motion carrying the education items passed.

Other substantive approvals included HR motions to accept retirements, resignations and appointments and to approve an interim assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction; operations motions authorized monthly bills, HVAC repair and replacement quotes, change orders for capital projects, transportation contracts and settlement agreements. The board also temporarily suspended Policy 5131 (a governance-level policy discussed previously); one member asked for underlying data on deterrence effectiveness and administrators said governance-committee attachments and additional data would be provided for review.

Board members closed the meeting with committee and community updates and reiterated appreciation for departing Assistant Superintendent Dr phry. The meeting adjourned with plans to reconvene in January.