Policy
Instructional and library materials shall be evaluated consistently and systematically to insure they meet high instructional standards and comply with Connecticut General Statutes, regulations of the State Board of Education, Board of Education policy and regulations.
The Board of Education, though it has final responsibility for all purchases, recognizes the student’s right to free access to many types and formats of instructional materials and library resources, including digital content. The Board also recognizes the right of teachers, library media specialists and administrators to select resources in accordance with current trends in education and to make such materials available in the schools.
It is the responsibility of the school district to provide a wide range of materials of various levels of difficulty and representing differing points of view. Teachers, library media specialists, and administrators will provide materials with opposing viewpoints on controversial issues to afford students the opportunity to develop the necessary critical thinking skills to become discriminate users of information and productive members of society. Instructional and library materials should be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, maturity, ability level, learning styles, and social, emotional, and intellectual development of the students for whom the materials are selected.
Instructional and library materials will be selected for their ability to instill in each child a sense of pride in the student’s individuality and provide insight into the experiences and identities of others. Materials should provide a global perspective and promote diversity by including authors and illustrators of all cultures. Within the school district, different schools may have different needs. In addition to core materials each school provides to support the curriculum, each school may have different priorities in selecting its materials for classrooms and the library.
In providing access to a variety of materials, the district may find that some materials are offensive and/or controversial to members of the school community. The school district cannot reject and remove a resource because an individual or a group has found the material objectionable. Access to material that may be controversial must be provided while also providing a process by which individuals or groups may formally request reconsideration of materials they find offensive or inaccurate.
Administration will develop and maintain procedures for the selection of materials that meet the district’s criteria and for the formal reconsideration of material individuals or groups find offensive.
(cf. 6141.1 Curriculum/Textbook Adoption)
Legal Reference:
Connecticut General Statutes
10-18a Contents of Textbooks and Other General Instructional Materials
| Policy adopted: | June 14, 2005 | HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS | |
| Policy revised: | April 2019 | Hamden, Connecticut |
Regulation
6161.1 (a)
Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials
Objectives for Selection of Instructional Materials
Instructional and library materials should be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social, emotional, and intellectual development of the students for whom the materials are selected.
Instructional and library materials will be selected for their ability to instill in each child a sense of pride in the student’s individuality and provide insight into the experiences and identities of others. Materials should provide a global perspective and promote diversity by including authors and illustrators of all cultures. Within the school district, different schools may have different needs. In addition to core materials each school provides to support the curriculum, each school may have different priorities in selecting its materials for classrooms and the library.
Classroom collections are housed in classrooms and used by the students assigned to the classrooms. They should enrich and support the curriculum and meet the needs of the students in the classroom. They should contain varying levels of difficulty and with diversity of appeal and allowing for the presentation of different points of view.
Library collections are housed in the school libraries and are available for all students and faculty of the school. Interlibrary loans are available upon special request. Databases are made available through the school library web pages. Resources for the school libraries are selected according to the following criteria:
1. Resources enrich and support the curricula and meet the needs of students and faculty.
2. Resources are high interest and available at all levels of difficulty.
3. Resources are provided in a variety of formats both print and non-print including, but not limited to, books, audiobooks, ebooks, and magazines.
4. Resources present various sides of controversial issues, giving students an opportunity to develop analytical skills resulting in informed decisions; nonfiction supports the deepening of knowledge of the world.
5. Literature is selected to develop and strengthen a love of reading; all genres are represented, as are all maturity levels. A wide variety of topics of interest are selected with characters that reflect themselves and others.
6. Databases are selected to support curricula and facilitate research with features that support all reading levels and non-English speakers.
7. Professional resources are selected to support pedagogy, current trends in education and the goals of Hamden Public Schools.
6161.1 (b)
Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials
Acquisitions
In selecting learning resources, professional personnel will evaluate available resources and curriculum needs and will consult reputable, professionally prepared aids to selection, and other appropriate sources. The actual resource will be examined whenever possible.
Gifts and donations to the schools are accepted with the understanding that the decision for use and disposition of the materials will be determined using the same selection as purchased materials and shall be accepted or rejected by those criteria. Like purchased resources, gifts and donations will be removed from the collection at the end of their useful life.
Selection is an ongoing process that should include removing materials that are no longer used or needed, adding materials, and replacing lost and worn materials that still have educational value. District resources will be reviewed on a consistent basis for accuracy, currency, usage, diversity, condition, and redundancy. Media specialists will follow the deselection plan and schedule for removing materials from the library collections.
Reconsideration of Resources
Controversial matters will not in themselves require automatic rejection of the material considered. However, no student will be required to read or use any material or his/her parents/guardian find distasteful for any ethical or religious reasons.
Any parent/guardian with a concern about a particular book or other instructional material will be asked to speak to the teacher or media specialist using such materials to settle any issues informally.
If this informal meeting does not settle the parental/guardian concern, the parent/guardian will be asked to complete a "Request for Review of Book or Other Instructional Material" form, available from all media specialists and school principals.
This written request will be reviewed by the teacher or media specialist involved, the Department Administrator as appropriate, and the school Principal. The Principal will discuss the results of the review with the Superintendent of Schools or his/her delegate, and will provide a written answer stating the school's position to the parent/guardian.
If the parent/guardian remains unsatisfied after all these steps, he/she may appeal to the Board of Education for a hearing.
The Superintendent or his/her delegate will maintain records of all received requests for review of materials and will report on all such cases and their disposition to the Board of Education. This will allow the Board to monitor the kinds and frequency of such requests and also to oversee administrative responses to insure that the actions of the administration reflect Board attitudes.
| Regulation approved: | April 9, 2019 | HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS | |
| Hamden, Connecticut |
Request for Review of Book or Other Instructional Material
Date:______________
Name: _______________________________________________ Telephone: __________________
Address: _____________________________________ Zip: ___________
Title of Book/Material: ______________________________________________________________
Author: ____________________________________________
Publisher: ________________________________
Is the resource part of the classroom collection, or library collection? _______________________________
Is the resource being used to support or enrich the curriculum? ___________________________________
To what material do you object? ____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
What do you believe is the theme of this material? ______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
What literary reviews have you consulted about this material? ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Have you read the entire book/material?____________ If not, what parts have you read?______________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
What action would you like the school to take with this book/material? ______________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Do you believe there is anything good about the material? Please explain. __________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
What material do you recommend to replace this material? ______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Other comments: _______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________