After a two-hour discussion today, the state Board of Education voted 8-1 to adopt the controversial SpringBoard curriculum which opponents claim fails to prepare students "for the real world."
The state school board, meeting in Las Vegas, formally adopted the English program for the first time in Nevada. That means any district is free to use SpringBoard.
Three Douglas County teachers opposed to the curriculum attended a video session of the meeting in Carson City using personal leave.
Trustee Karen Chessel also attended in Carson City.
Douglas Superintendent Lisa Noonan, Assistant Superintendent Lyn Gorrindo, Director of Curriculum Kerry Pope and Trustee Sharla Hales were set to travel to Las Vegas for the hearing.
Teacher Karen Heine, who opposed SpringBoard as being at odds with the school district's traditional grammar, vocabulary and writing instruction, said she was disappointed with the decision, but would teach the curriculum.
Heine is co-chair of the Douglas High School English department.
Chessel said she was pleased with the formal adoption because she found the prospect of changing the curriculum this late in the year "pretty scary."
