The District’s policy related to the selection of learning materials states that any resident of the District may formally challenge instructional materials used in the District's education program.  This policy allows those persons in the District and the community who are not directly involved in the selection of materials to make their own opinions known.  The task of the reconsideration committee is to provide an open forum for discussion of challenged materials and to make an informed decision on the challenge.

 

The most critical component of the reconsideration process is the establishment and maintenance of the committee's credibility in the community.  For this purpose, the committee is composed of community members, administrative team members, teachers, librarian, and superintendent. .  The community should not, therefore, infer that the committee is biased or is obligated to uphold prior professional decisions.  For this same reason, a community member will be selected to chair the committee.

 

The reconsideration process, the task of this committee, is just one part of the selection continuum.  Material is purchased to meet a need.  It is reviewed and examined, if possible, prior to purchase.  It is periodically reevaluated through updating, discarding or reexamination.  The committee must be ready to acknowledge that an error in selection may have been made despite this process.  Librarians and school employees regularly read great numbers of reviews in the selection process and occasional errors are possible.

 

In reconsidering challenged materials, the role of the committee, and particularly the chairperson, is to produce a climate for disagreement.  However, the committee should begin by finding items of agreement, keeping in mind that the larger the group participating, the greater the amount of information available and, therefore, the greater the number of possible approaches to the problem.

 

If the complainant chooses, the complainant may make an oral presentation to the committee to expand and elaborate on the complaint.  The committee will listen to the complainant, to those with special knowledge, and any other interested persons.  In these discussions, the committee should be aware of relevant social pressures which are affecting the situation.  Individuals who may try to dominate or impose a decision must not be allowed to do so.  Minority viewpoints expressed by groups or individuals must be heard and observers must be made to feel welcome.  It is important that the committee create a calm, non-volatile environment in which to deal with a potentially volatile situation.  To this end, the complainant will be kept continuously informed of the progress of the complaint.

 

The committee will listen to the views of all interested persons before reaching a decision.  In deliberating its decision, the committee should remember that the District must be responsive to the needs, tastes, and opinions of the community it serves.  Therefore, the committee must distinguish between broad community sentiment and attempts to impose personal standards.  The deliberations should concentrate on the appropriateness of the material.  The question to be answered by the committee is, "Is the material appropriate for its designated audience at this time?"

 

The committee will make one of the following final recommendations: (1) to remove the challenged material from the total school environment, (2) to take no removal action or (3) to agree on a limitation of the educational use of the materials.

 

The committee chairperson will instruct the secretary to convey the committee's recommendation to the Superintendent.  The recommendation should detail the rationale on which it was based.  A letter will be sent to the complainant outlining the committee's final decision.

 

Approved: 10/16/14

Reviewed: FY 2016-2017, August 15, 2016, June 28, 2021

Revised: 02/24/17, 11/27/23

 

Request for re-evaluation of printed or multi-media material to be submitted to the Superintendent.

 

Review Initiated By:                                     Date:_______________

 

Name:______________________________

 

Address:________________________________________

 

City/State:____________________        Zip Code:_______________

 

Telephone:_______________

 

School(s) in which item is used:___________________________________

 

Relationship to school (parent, student, citizen, etc.):__________________

 

Book or Other Printed Material, If Applicable:

 

Author:____________ Hardcover:_____ Paperback:_____ Other:_____

 

Title:________________________________________

 

Publisher:________________________________________

 

Date of Publication:________________________________________

 

Multimedia Material, If Applicable:

 

Title:________________________________________

 

Producer:________________________________________

 

Type of material (filmstrip, motion picture, etc.):______________________

 

Person Making the Request Represents: (circle one)

Self                   Group or Organization 

 

Name and Address of Group or Organization:_________________________

1.     What brought this item to your attention?

 

 

2.     To what in the item do you object? (please be specific -- cite pages, frames, etc.)

 

 

3.     In your opinion, what harmful effects upon students might result from use of this item?

 

 

4.     Do you perceive any instructional value in the use of this item?

 

5.     Did you review the entire item? If not, what sections did you review?

 

6.  Should the opinion of any additional experts in the field be considered?

Yes  _____                         No _____

 

If yes, please list specific suggestions:

 

7.     To replace this item, do you recommend other material which you consider to be of equal or superior quality for the purpose intended?

 

8.     Do you wish to make an oral presentation to the Review Committee?

 

Yes _____  (a)    Please contact the Superintendent.

 

(b)    Please be prepared at this time to indicate the approximate length of time your presentation will require.

Minutes __________

No _____

 

The committee will review your request and notify you if your request is granted; however, there is no guarantee that each and every request will be granted, either in terms of appearing before the committee or in receiving the amount of time requested.

 

Signature:__________________________               Date:______________

 

Approved: 10/16/14

Reviewed: FY 2016-2017, August 15, 2016, June 28, 2021

Revised: 02/24/17

A.     A resident of the District may raise an objection to instructional materials used in the District’s education program despite the fact that the individuals selecting such material were duly qualified to make the selection and followed the proper procedure and observed the criteria for selecting such material.

 

1.     The school official or employee receiving a complaint regarding instructional materials will try to resolve the issue informally. The materials generally will remain in use pending the outcome of the reconsideration procedure.

 

a.     The school official or employee initially receiving a complaint will explain to the individual the Board's selection procedure, criteria to be met by the instructional materials, and qualifications of those persons selecting the material.

b.     The school official or employee initially receiving a complaint will explain to the individual the role of the objected material in the education program, its intended educational purpose, and additional information regarding its use. In the alternative, the employee may refer the individual to the teacher-librarian who can identify and explain the use of the material.

 

2.     The employee receiving the initial complaint will advise the building principal of the initial contact no later than the end of the school day following the discussion with the individual, whether or not the individual has been satisfied by the initial contact.  A written record of the contact is maintained by the principal in charge of the attendance center. Each building principal shall inform employees of their obligation to report complaints.

 

3.     In the event the individual making an objection to instructional materials is not satisfied with the initial explanation, the individual is referred to the principal or to the teacher-librarian of the attendance center. If, after consultation with the principal or teacher-librarian, the individual desires to file a formal complaint, the principal or teacher-librarian will assist in filling out a Reconsideration Request Form in full and filing it with the Superintendent.

 

B.     Request for Reconsideration

 

1.     A resident of the District may formally challenge instructional materials on the basis of appropriateness used in the District’s education program. This procedure is for the purpose of considering the opinions of those persons in the District and the community who are not directly involved in the selection process.

 

2.     Each attendance center and the District’s administrative office will keep on hand and make available Reconsideration Request Forms. Formal objections to instructional materials must be made on this form.

 

3.     The individual will state the specific reason the instructional material is being challenged. The Reconsideration Request Form is signed by the individual and filed with the Superintendent.

 

4.     The Superintendent will promptly file the objection with the reconsideration committee for reevaluation.

 

5.     Generally, access to challenged instructional material will not be restricted during the reconsideration process. However, in unusual circumstances, the instructional material may be removed temporarily by following the provisions of Section B.6.d. of this rule.

 

6.     The Reconsideration Committee

 

a.     The reconsideration committee is made up of the following members.

(1)    3 Community Members (1 must be chairmen, 1 must be secretary)..

(2)    2 Administrative Team Members.

(3)    2 Teachers (1 Elem.1 Secondary).

(4)    Librarian.

(5)    Superintendent..

b.     The committee will select their chairperson and secretary.

c.      The committee will meet at the request of the Superintendent.

d.     Special meetings may be called by the Superintendent to consider temporary removal of materials in unusual circumstances. A recommendation for temporary removal will require a two-thirds vote of the committee.

e.     Notice of committee meetings is made public through appropriate publications and other communications methods.

f.      The committee will receive the completed Reconsideration Request Form from the Superintendent.

g.     The committee will determine its agenda for the first meeting that may include the following:

(1)    Distribution of copies of the completed Reconsideration Request Form.

(2)    An opportunity for the individual or a group spokesperson to talk about or expand on the Reconsideration Request Form.

(3)    Distribution of reputable, professionally prepared reviews of the challenged instructional material if available.

(4)    Distribution of copies of the challenged instructional material as available.

h.     The committee may review the selection process for the challenged instructional material and may, to its satisfaction, determine that the challenge is without merit and dismiss the challenge. The committee will notify the individual and the Superintendent of its action.

i.      At a subsequent meeting, if held, interested persons, including the individual filing the challenge, may have the opportunity to share their views. The committee may request that individuals with special knowledge be present to give information to the committee.

j.      The individual filing the challenge is kept informed by the reconsideration committee secretary on the status of the Reconsideration Request Form throughout the reconsideration process. The individual filing the challenge and known interested parties will be given appropriate notice of meetings.

k.     At the second or a subsequent meeting the committee will make its decision. The committee's final decision may be to take no removal action, to remove the challenged material from the school environment or to limit the educational use of the challenged material. The sole criterion for the final decision is the appropriateness of the material for its intended educational use. The written decision and its justification are forwarded to the Superintendent for appropriate action, the individual, and the appropriate attendance centers.  Following the Superintendent’s decision with respect to the committee’s decision, the individual or chairperson  of the reconsideration committee may appeal the decision to the Board for review. Such appeal must be presented to the Superintendent in writing within five (5) days following the announcement of the Superintendent's decision. The Board will promptly determine whether to hear the appeal.

l.      A recommendation to sustain a challenge will not be interpreted as a judgment of irresponsibility on the part of the individuals involved in the original selection or use of the material.

m.    Requests to reconsider materials which have previously been reconsidered by the committee must receive approval of two-thirds of the committee members before the materials will again be reconsidered.

n.     If necessary or appropriate in the judgment of the committee, the committee may appoint a subcommittee of members or nonmembers to consolidate challenges and to make recommendations to the full committee. The composition of this subcommittee will approximate the representation of the full committee.

o.     Committee members directly associated with the selection, use or challenger of the challenged material are excused from the committee during the deliberation of the challenged instructional materials. The Superintendent may appoint a temporary replacement for the excused committee member, but the replacement must be of the same general qualifications as the member excused.

 

Approved: 1995-1996

Reviewed: FY 2016-2017, August 15, 2016, June 28, 2021

Revised: 02/24/17, 11/27/23