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Board approves revised curriculum despite public objections over ninth‑grade readings
Summary
After public comment and board debate, the Big Spring board approved a package of revised curricula (elementary, middle and high‑school subjects). A public commenter urged review of ninth‑grade English units, arguing some assigned readings are age‑inappropriate and politically slanted; the motion passed with two 'no' votes.
The board moved to approve a slate of new and updated curriculum recommendations presented by the administration and recommended by the director of curriculum and instruction. The package included elementary science, middle‑school chorus and multiple high‑school items. The administration said materials were previewed at the Aug. 3 meeting and provided to board members for review.
During public comment Charlotte McDonald read a passage from The Glass Castle and urged the board to remove certain ninth‑grade readings she described as "unwholesome" and "age inappropriate." She criticized units she described as containing sexual or violent material and said the full unit readings and multimedia resources were not visible to the public. "This is not appropriate. It needs to be looked at before it's just blindly stamped," McDonald said.
Several board members also said they lacked unit‑level materials and asked that cover sheets, assignments and reading lists be provided before votes of this scale. One board member said elements once listed in prior curriculum maps were now missing from the public documents and expressed concern about dark or violent unit content being taught to ninth graders. Administration said summaries and cover documents had been made available and they could provide further unit resources upon request. The board discussed being more involved in earlier stages of curriculum selection.
After debate the board approved the curriculum package with two 'no' votes (vote recorded at the meeting). The administration said it would provide additional materials and the board later placed an item on a future agenda to create a standing curriculum committee to allow public input and earlier board review.
What’s next: board members asked administration to provide unit‑level resources and to consider forming a curriculum committee to involve board members and the public earlier in the review process.
