Policy Title: Reconsideration of Instructional Materials
Code No.: 204.12

The Board of Education recognizes the right of an individual parent to request that his child not have to read a given book or use a given set of instructional materials, prvided a written request is made to the appropriate building principal. Substitute material must be agreed upon by the parent and the teacher.

Should a reconsideration request be made by a resident of the school district, the materials will remain on the shelves pending a recommendation by the reconsideration committee and the decision of the Board of Education. It is necessary to defend the principles of the freedom to read and the professional responsibility of the staff.

The following procedure will be followed when a reconsideraton request is made:

1. A person concerned with the instructional materials or the availability of such materials will be asked to meet with the teacher involved, the head of the department, the media specialist, and the principal in the building to resolve the issue. If no agreeable decision can be mde or if no meeting is held, the concerned person will be asked to complete the form entitled "Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials." This form may be obtained from the building principal or media specialist. [Or print a copy from this link.]
2. If the concerned person does not return the completed "Citizen's Request Form" by the date specified on the form, no further action will be taken.
3. If the concerned person returns the "Citizen's Request Form" to the principal by the specified date, the principal shall forward the form to the Reconsideration Committee. Each bilding principal will appoint the Reconsideration Committee annually and at the start of the new school year.
4. The Reconsideration Committee shall consist of:
   1. Two citizens
   2. Two students (Seniors)
   3. The building media specialist
   4. Two classroom teachers from the level involved
   5. The building principal
5. Within five (5) school days after the receipt of the "Citizen's Request From", the Reconsideration Committee shall meet to organize their working procedures and arrange a time schedule for completing their review and report. Using registered mailk the Committee will immediately advise the compainant of the receipt of the "Citizen's Request Form" and the schedule of the review procedures.
6. A decision and final report will be filed by the Reconsideration Committee with the Superintendent and copies will be sent to the building principals, the media specialists, the teacher involved, and the head of the department. The person filing the "Citizen's Request Form" will receive a copy of the report by registered mail.
7. If the concerned person is not satisfied with the Reconsideration Committee's decision he may file an appeal with the Superintendent. This appeal must be made within five (5) school days of the receipt of the Committee's report.
8. The Superintendent shall make a decision within ten (10) school days after receipt of the appeal. He will then notify the concerned person, by registered mail, of his decision. Appeal of the Superintendent's decision may be made to the Board of Education within twenty (20) school days after receipt of the Superintendent's decision. The decision of the Board of Education is final unless it is appealed to the State Department of Education.

The Board of Educaiton is duly authorized by state statute to assume the responsibility for approving instructional materials, incuding textbooks, for the schools under its jurisdiction.

The responsibility for selection of materials, both those purchased from commercial suppliers and those acquired as gift materials, is the ultimate responsibility of the Board of Education but within the school is primarily the responsibility of the professionally trained media personnel and/or teaching staff. The selection of materials is a continuing process and includes suggestions from administrators, teachers, parents, and students.

It is therefore, the policy of this district to require tht the materials selected for our school be in accord with the following:

1. Instructional materials shall be chosen for values of interest and enlightenment of students in the schools. Books shall not be excluded simply bacause of the language, style, or views of the writer. The fact of sexual incidents or profanity appearing in a book should not automatically disqualify it. Rather the decision should be made on the basis of whether the book presents life in its true proportions, whether circumstances are realistically dealt with, and whether the book is of literary value. Prepared materials such as films, filmstrips, slides or other electronic media are selected to fulfill the course objectives as determined by the teacher.
2. Mataerials shall be chosen to foster respect for minority groups, women, and ethnic groups.
3. Resources should be provided that will present a fair balance of ideas so that the students have full oppportunity to investigate and consider vaarious positions and to draw intelligent conclusions.
4. Materials selected should enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the vaired interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the students served.
5. Materials provided should stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, esthetic values and ethical standards.
6. Materials selected should provide a background of information which will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily life.
7. Materials selected should provide positive and negative aspects of many subjects from an educational standpoint to help students learn to think critically.
8. Inclusion of materials does not necessarily mean that the school or media specialist advocates the idea, but that the material has been recognized for its potential in helping students to start developing ideas of their own on may subjects, including controversial issues.
9. Selection is an ongoing process which would include the removal of materials no longer appropriate and the replacement of lost and worn materials still of educaitonal value. (See Weeding Policy.)

Date of Adoption: October 25, 1993

Return to Policies and Procedures Manual: Table of Contents
Return to Primary SLMC Home

Based on documents prepared and/or collected by Ruth Brandt and Barb Ehlers, Summer 1998, for UNI graduate class, Administration of School Library Media Centers, and revised Summer 2000
Posted August 15, 2000, by REB
Page updated August 21, 2004
Comments to rbrandt@oelwein.k12.ia.us
Copyright © 2000 by Ruth E. Brandt and Oelwein Community Schools