361.1 - TEXT SELECTION AND RECONSIDERATION PROCEDURES
I. Text Material SelectionA. Text materials shall be adopted according to the schedule established by the School District of Auburndale administration and correspond to the schedule for curriculum revision when possible and practical.
B. The responsibility for selection shall lie with the teacher(s) constituting a department/grade level requesting the textbook adoption and the building principal. Each department/grade level shall confer with other faculty teaching the same subject in the same grade, the reading specialist, the principal, and the curriculum coordinator.
C. The following criteria shall be used for the selection of text materials:
1. The School District of Auburndale will comply with the Department of Public Instruction Administrative rule for Wisconsin State Statute 121.02 (h) which in part states: “All students shall be provided access to a current balanced collection of books, basic reference materials, texts, periodicals, and audiovisual materials which depict in an accurate and unbiased way the cultural diversity and pluralistic nature of American society.”
2. Text material shall:
a. Support and be consistent with the general goals of the district,
b. Support and be consistent with the objectives of the curricula,
c. Be appropriate for the subject area, and for the age, maturity level, and ability level of the students for whom the materials are selected,
d. Have a readability level for a majority of the students for whom the materials are selected,
e. Whenever possible, select those series which provide for sequential growth and provide continuity from level to level,
f. Be accurate and current in information provided,
g. Provide a background of information which will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives,
h. Provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues to enable students, under guidance, to develop critical analysis skills,
i. Provide a fair representation of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage,
j. Avoid sex role and ethnic bias and stereotyping,
k. When containing information on political ideologies, include any ideology or philosophy or government which exerts an influence, either favorably or unfavorably on our government, politics, current events, education, or any other phase of life, and
l. Have a physical format, appearance, and durability suitable for their intended use.
E. A readability test done on each text under consideration and will be a consideration in the decision.
F. Appropriate checklists for evaluating text materials for bias will be completed for each text and supplementary material under consideration. These include “Checklist for the Evaluation of a Reading or Literature Material for Bias”, and “Checklist for the Evaluation of a Textbook or Workbook for Bias”.
G. Recommendations for the text material selection will be made to the principal after thorough examination of the material. Final approval will remain with the District Administrator.
II. Reconsideration of Text Materials
A. Any parent or legal guardian may request reconsideration of text materials. Parents have the right to guide the education of their child, but the school district also has the right to protect other children’s rights to participate in educational experiences over the objection of an individual or group of citizens in the community. Therefore challenged material shall not be restricted during the reevaluation proceedings; however, requests of individual parents and/or guardians for alternative material for their child will be honored without penalty.
B. If, after discussing the matter with the complainant informally, no resolution to the problem has been made, the classroom teacher will ask the complainant to file a written request to the building principal stating the reason s/he objects to the text. While the principal and superintendent are notified, no action is taken unless the written complaint is filed.
C. A Text Materials Reconsideration Committee consisting of the building principal, teacher(s) from the appropriate department/grade level, the reading specialist, a parent representative appointed by the superintendent, and the district library media director, will be named as needed. The principal shall serve as the chairperson of the committee.
1. The committee will read and examine the material in its entirety.
2. The committee will have its first meeting no later than fifteen working days after the reconsideration form reaches the principal.
3. The committee meetings are considered a public meeting, and the complainant may make an initial verbal presentation regarding the materials under consideration at the first meeting.
4. Observers may be invited to voice their views; however, after these opportunities, neither the complainant nor other observers may participate in the committee’s deliberations unless requested to do so by the chairperson.
5. During the first meeting or a subsequent one, the committee shall make its decision to remove or retain the material. The vote, by secret ballot, shall require a simple majority.
6. The committee reserves the right to use outside expertise if necessary to help in its decision-making process.
7. The committee’s written decision shall be presented within fifteen working days to the superintendent who will be responsible for its implementation. The superintendent will notify the complainant in writing of the committee’s decision.
8. An appeal of the decision of the committee may be made by the complainant in writing within two weeks to the superintendent and the board of education. The superintendent and the board of education will make the final decision on the complaint. The decision will be made at the next regular meeting of the board or at a special meeting within ten days of the second complaint. The board reserves the right to use outside expertise, if necessary, to help in its decision making. The chairperson will represent the Text Materials Reconsideration Committee at this meeting.
9. To ensure that any press coverage is accurate, the administrative representative on the committee will provide information from the school’s perspective.
Adopted: March 23, 1994
Posted: 11/12/2007 08:47:16 am