A. Assignment of Responsibility:

The Board of Education reserves responsibility for the final acquisition of materials, but the responsibility for the selection of instructional and library materials is delegated to the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee, with the assistance of the instructional and media staff, to establish procedures and regulations for the selection of instructional and media materials, reviewing their effectiveness, and dealing with complaints concerning instructional and library materials.  The Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee will establish committees consisting of teachers and media staff to assist with these responsibilities.

B. Criteria for Instructional Materials:

The selection of instructional materials shall be made in accordance with Board of Education policies, including, but not limited to Policy 4043 (Educational Equity), state and federal legal requirements, the curriculum development cycle and reflect the following philosophy: 

1. To provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, practical skills, literary appreciation. 

2. To provide a background of information which will prepare students for success in college, career and life. 

3. To provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and developmental levels of the students served.

4. To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop, under guidance, the practice of critical thinking and analysis. 

5. To provide materials inclusive of diverse communities and their contributions to our country and global society. 

6. To place principle above personal opinion and reason above biases in the selection of a comprehensive collection of high-quality instructional materials.

C. Criteria for Library Materials:

1. To provide a comprehensive collection of materials selected in compliance with basic, written selection principles, and to provide maximum accessibility to these materials. 

2. To provide materials that will support the curriculum, taking into consideration student’s needs, and interests, development, backgrounds, and maturity levels and inclusive of a global society. 

3. To provide materials for teachers and students that will encourage curiosity, growth in knowledge, and that will develop literary, cultural and aesthetic appreciation, and ethical standards. 

4. To provide qualified professional media personnel to serve teachers and students.

D. Procedures for Reconsideration of Instructional or Library Materials:

The District recognizes that some materials may be selected as part of the curriculum or which are included in District libraries.  The following procedures shall apply regardless of whether the complaint arises from students, parents, school personnel or district stakeholders.  

1. Informal complaints should be presented to the Principal of the school where the material that is the subject of the complaint is being used.  In the event the informal complaint is resolved at the school and the person does not wish to make a formal complaint (as described in the following paragraph), the Principal shall notify that the material that is being used was received.  The Principal shall submit informal concerns to the Superintendent of the informal complaint and its resolution.

2. Formal complaints about instructional or library materials must be presented in writing to the Principal of the school where the material that is the subject of the complaint is being used.  The complainant shall be required to submit a written complaint using the District's specified form that includes but is not limited to: complainant’s identity, material challenged, detailed statement of reason(s) for challenging the material, and what action, if any,. 

3. When a formal written complaint is completed and presented to the Principal of the school where the material that is the subject of the complaint is being used, the Principal will submit the formal complaint to the Chief Academic Officer who will forward it to the review committee. The review committee staff and stakeholders.  The material shall remain in use while the formal complaint is being reviewed. 

4. The review committee shall consider district philosophy, the criteria set forth above, the professional judgment of teachers, reviews of the material by other competent authorities, compatibility with the District's adopted curriculum, the teacher’s stated goals, as well as the views of the complainant.  The review committee's recommendation and all accompanying rationale shall be forwarded to the Superintendent for review prior to sending to the Board for its review and final decision.  The Board shall determine whether to: 1) remove the material in question from District use; 2) modify the material and/or clarify applicability for continued use; or 3). reject the complaint and continue to use the material. The complainant will receive notification of the recommendation being submitted to the Board.

5. Where a formal complaint is made relating to the same or essentially the same materials that have been the subject of a formal complaint which has been decided by the Board, be considered by the Superintendent, who may follow the previous action of the Board.  In considering the complaint, the Superintendent shall consider whether the complaint raises any substantially different issue than that previously considered by a review committee and decided by the Board.