Instructional Materials Review
The Red Oak Community School District strives to meet the needs of students and faculty regarding textbooks, instructional materials, multimedia, and other resources that supplement, support, and scaffold the goals of the district’s instructional program. These materials should also provide a variety of viewpoints and offer diverse reader appeal. As such, some of these materials may not completely coincide with the interests or perspectives of all people.
Therefore, district stakeholders may object to instructional materials and ask that their use be reconsidered. Parents or guardians of students enrolled in the district may also request their student(s) be prohibited from checking out certain library materials.
To object to materials being used in classrooms or the school library a parent or district resident need only submit a verbal or written complaint to a school official or employee. The employee will try to resolve the complaint informally by explaining the selection process, rationale, and purpose of the materials, but they must report it to the building principal by the end of the following day. (The building principal will maintain a written record of the complaint.) If the individual is not satisfied with the initial explanation, they will be referred to the building principal or school librarian for further explanation.
If the individual is still not satisfied after meeting with the building principal or school librarian, school personnel will assist them in completing a formal Reconsideration Request Form and filing it with the Superintendent. The Superintendent will convene a meeting of a reconsideration committee within two weeks of the receipt of the Reconsideration Request Form. The reconsideration committee with make a recommendation to the Superintendent within five school days of their meeting. The Superintendent will issue a decision within five school days after receiving the committee’s recommendation. A copy of the Superintendent’s decision will be provided to the complainant.
An appeal of the Superintendent’s decision may be filed with the Board Secretary within five days of the Superintendent’s decision. The board will determine whether to hear the appeal at the next regular meeting or within 30 days of the Superintendent’s decision, whichever is later. If the board elects to hear the appeal, the board will act to affirm, modify, or reverse the decision of the Superintendent. The board’s decision will be communicated to the complainant. The board’s decision will be deemed final.
Board policies regarding the selection, inspection, objection, and reconsideration of instructional materials are as follows:
Instructional Materials Selection
605.1 - Instructional Materials Selection