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.

KANSAS CITY, Mo — KSHB 41 News and the Salvation Army held the 2024 Season of Hope toy drive Thursday.

It’s the fourth year of a partnership to help Kansas City area families during the holiday season.

With it being this close to the holidays, stores were probably packed with last-minute shoppers, but so was the Salvation Army for the drive, with families picking out the perfect gifts for their loved ones.

Mariah Nicholas is a mom of four — two girls and two boys.

Spending Christmas with them means a little more this year. She almost lost her life in a car accident right before Thanksgiving.

“I hydroplaned off the road and slammed into a tree line on my side,” Nicholas said. “So, I took the blunt of it but I’m hanging in there.”

She signed up for the Season of Hope toy drive to fill a void she couldn’t this Christmas. She says this will take off some of the financial burden.

“I lost my job right before Thanksgiving due to my wreck,” Nicholas said. “So, I’m waiting to go back, but without this help, I probably wouldn’t be able to do much.”

She’s one of 300 families that will benefit from the drive.

It was set up department style, allowing each family to get a personal shopping experience to pick out toys that their children would like.

“There are a lot of toys that my kids will actually enjoy,” said Nina Velazquez, a mom of two. “Usually, I’m very very stressed out because I’m at Walmart in line with 100,000 people and my pocket usually doesn’t have enough to cover everything.”

KSHB 41 News staff

In total, 11,250 toys were donated this year, and each family received gift cards to Aldi’s, helping to fill their table and tree.

“They get not just a single toy,” Salvation Army Pastor Dawn Windham said. “It’s a big toy and a small toy, and stocking stuffers, and books and family games and clothing — it’s just amazing.”

KSHB 41 News staff

This event giving more than just hope this holiday season.

“To watch them open, you know more than what I could give them on Christmas this year,” Nicholas said. “So, I’m super grateful to the Salvation Army and them helping us.”

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KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. Share your story idea with La’Nita.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The FBI distributed posters Thursday morning for two fugitives potentially in Kansas wanted in connection to multiple jewelry heists.

Arrest warrants through the U.S. District Court of Kansas have been issued for Vasile Sava and Onita Rostas.

The pair were indicted earlier this year by a federal grand jury in connection to two jewelry store burglaries across parts of Kansas:

• May 18, 2022 at Marks Jewelers in Lawrence, Kansas
• Aug. 20, 2022 at Calhoun’s Jewelers in Topeka, Kansas

Court documents indicate the pair stole nearly $60,000 worth of jewelry at the two locations.
The court document also allege the pair were part of a much larger Romanian-based conspiracy in which three other suspects are alleged to have stolen more than $37,000 from two additional jewelry stores in 2023 in McPherson, Kansas and Manhattan, Kansas.

The pair have been charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.

During these robberies, it’s alleged that groups of two or more entered jewelry stores and distracted employees, while the other individuals would remove and conceal displayed items in a sleight-of-hand theft.

Sava and Rostas are married, and investigators believe they may be using aliasas, and may be in various locations including Californni, Texas, Florida, Maryland and Virginia.

The FBI has issued wanted posters for the pair you can see on the FBI’s Website.

Anyone with info. on their whereabouts is encouraged to contact any law enforcement agency, or contact the FBI a www.tips.fbi.gov or via the National FBI Tip Line at 1-800-CALLFBI.

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If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.

Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.