SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO. 78 (FRASER-CASCADE)
POLICY
NO: 5110
DATE: 98-01-27
REVISED:
SUBJECT: CHALLENGING CONTROVERSIAL MATERIAL
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The
Board of School Trustees recognizes that any person in the District may
challenge (on the basis of appropriateness), learning resources used in the
District's educational programme.
This
policy is to provide a procedure for considering the opinions of those persons
in the community and schools who are not directly involved in the selection
process.
SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO. 78 (FRASER-CASCADE)
REGULATIONS
NO: 5110 R
DATE: 98-01-27
REVISED:
SUBJECT: CHALLENGING CONTROVERSIAL MATERIAL
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1. General
1.1 Individuals have a legitimate concern for
what their children read and study.
Therefore, an orderly procedure must be established so that an individual
may bring his/her concern for consideration and study.
1.2 No parent has the right to determine
reading, listening or viewing material for pupils other than his/her own child.
1.3 No group of individuals has the right to
determine reading, listening or viewing material for pupils.
1.4 Access to challenged material shall not
be restricted during the reconsideration process.
1.5 The major criterion for the final
decision is the appropriateness of the material for its intended use.
1.6 A decision to sustain a challenge shall
not be interpreted as a judgement of irresponsibility on the part of the
professional involved in the original selection or use of the material.
2. Request for
Formal Reconsideration
2.1 No matter how much care is taken in the
selection process, there will be occasions when students, teachers, or citizens
in the community will object to an item in the collection. If material is challenged, the following
procedures should be followed:
2.1.1 Always receive the complaint courteously
but make no commitments.
2.1.2 If mutual satisfaction cannot be reached,
invite the complainant to file the objection in writing and provide the
complainant with a copy of the selection policy.
2.2 Upon receipt of the completed Form 5110,
the Superintendent shall refer the request for reconsideration to a Review
Committee.
2.3 If the matter is not resolved at the
school level, the Board authorizes the Superintendent to establish a Review
Committee with rules and procedures to be followed when materials are
challenged. The committee will be an
advisory group reporting its recommendations to the Superintendent.
2.4 The Review Committee should be made up of
the following people:
i. The Superintendent or his/her nominee;
ii. A member of the School Board;
iii. A school administrator other than the one
involved in the dispute;
iv. A nominee of the complainant;
v. A teacher from a school other than the one
involved in the dispute.
2.5 The committee should review the
challenged material at the earliest opportunity.
2.5.1 Materials must be read and examined.
2.5.2 Look at general acceptance of materials
by reading reviews.
2.5.3 Judgement of the item must be made on the
whole item and not on passages taken out of context.
2.5.4 Have both the complainant and teacher
present their views.
2.5.5 Reach a decision and prepare a report.
2.6 The written report shall be forwarded to
the Superintendent, with a copy to the principal of the school involved.
2.7 The Superintendent shall discuss the
report with the questioner.
2.8 The decision of the Review Committee is
binding to the individual school.
2.9 Notwithstanding any procedures outlined
in this policy, the questioner shall have the right to appeal any decision to
the Board of School Trustees in accordance with Bylaw #21.
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SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO. 78 (FRASER-CASCADE) REQUEST FOR
RECONSIDERATION OF LEARNING
RESOURCES Title
of Work: _______________________________________________________________ Author/Publisher/Supplier:
_____________________________________________________ Type of Material:
____________________________________________________________ Request initiated by: __________________________________________________________ Telephone: __________ Address:
_______________________________________________ Complainant
represents: ________
himself/herself ________
name/organization or group _______________________________________ 1. Did you read, view or hear the entire
work? ___________________________________ If
not, which parts? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 2. To
what in the work do you object?
Please be specific; cite pages or selections: ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 3. Is
there anything of value in this work?
______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 4. What
do you feel might be the result of reading, viewing or using this work? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 5. What
age group, if any, would you recommend this work? _______________________ 6. What
do you believe is the theme or purpose of this work? _______________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 7. Are
you aware of critics' judgement of this work? ______________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 8. What
would you prefer the school do about this work? ________
Do not recommend or assign it to my child Date:
________________ Signature of Complainant:
_____________________________ Form: 5110 |