The Texas State Board of Education in a reversal on Tuesday voted to keep Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonBudowsky: Speaker Pelosi rises to the occasion Female candidates scrutinized more than men on likability, says pollster Joe Biden could be a great president, but can he win? MORE, Hellen Keller and several other figures in the state’s history curriculum.
Board member Erika Beltran (D) said backlash sparked by an initial vote in September to eliminate Clinton and Keller from the state’s required teachings in September influenced her decision.
“I got a ton of calls and emails about the removal of Hillary Clinton,” she said, according to The Dallas Morning News. “She was the first female presidential nominee from a major U.S. political party. So regardless of our party affiliations, I think she is an important figure to keep.”
Republican board member Marty Rowley added that despite not agreeing with Clinton’s politics, “I have to give credit where credit is due.”
“She is a significant political leader,” he said.
The board voted 12-2 to keep Clinton in the curriculum, with Republicans Pat Hardy and Geraldine Miller opposing the proposal.
“I just do not respect the woman,” Hardy explained. “As far as I’m concerned, she’s done a lot of detrimental things to our country.”
Miller made a similar argument, citing “the Benghazi thing.”
The board also decided to keep Keller in the curriculum.
“Helen Keller is the only point of reference for deaf-blindness because it is unlikely an educator, a government worker, a doctor would have any other interaction with any other person who was deaf-blind,” Robbie Caldwell, whose daughter is deaf-blind, told the board during public testimony. “We need Helen Keller to remain in our Texas curriculum.”
“I am hoping that you keep Helen Keller being taught in our schools. She traveled the world, worked very hard and helped a lot of people. She is a hero,” her daughter, Gabrielle Caldwell, urged. “I like to travel and want to travel the world. I study hard, too. I believe I can do these things because Helen Keller did them.”