Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston has resigned from a six-figure job with The College Board, the operator of the SAT and Advanced Placement courses.
The move comes after progressive activists raised concerns on social media about Huston’s support for legislation that would restrict what teachers can teach about race and racism — while serving as The College Board’s senior vice president for state and district partnership.
Huston has worked for the College Board since October 2012 and resigned Monday, according to House Republicans Communications Director Erin Wittern. The College Board paid Huston $460,738 in 2019, according to tax records.
The organization did not answer a question about its position on legislative attempts to limit discussions of race in the classroom, or whether Huston’s support for House Bill 1134 played a role in his departure.
But Wittern said the decision “was not related to any legislative efforts.”
In a statement, a representative of The College Board said that “Huston concluded that the demands of both his role here and his elected position are not sustainable, and he wants to devote more time to his work in Indiana.”
Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization focused on youth political involvement, first raised concerns on Twitter about Huston’s dual roles, writing that Huston was involved with shaping curriculum decisions across the country.
Mayer began a hashtag campaign to #FireToddHuston on Jan. 31.
Judd Legum, an independent journalist at Popular Information and founder of the progressive news organization ThinkProgress, also questioned how HB 1134 would affect content of The College Board’s AP classes.
The College Board said it was grateful for Huston’s work. “Todd has cultivated a superb team of leaders, who are now well prepared to lead our work with state and district partners,” the statement said.
Huston was first elected in 2012 and tapped to lead the House in 2020. The Fishers Republican’s statement said he had been “incredibly fortunate” to serve in his College Board role for nine years.
“As of right now, I’m focused on a strong, successful finish to this legislative session,” Huston said in a statement. “I want to recharge my batteries post-session before considering future opportunities.”
