McComb Local School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

2510.01 - PUBLIC COMMENTS - INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Despite the care taken to select appropriate and valuable materials and the qualifications of the persons involved in the selection, occasional objections to a selection are made. When such objections occur, principles of freedom of information will be defended rather than specific materials.

Persons requesting permission to examine instructional materials may examine such materials in a way so as not to disrupt the normal operations of the school.

If a complaint is made, the procedures are as follows:

 A.School personnel are courteous to a complainant, make no commitment, advise the complainant to arrange a conference with the principal, and notify the principal of the complaint.
 B.It is the complainant's responsibility to arrange a conference with the principal.
 C.At this conference, the principal invites the complainant to file his/her objections in writing on the form "Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials."
 D.A complainant who does not complete and return the form receives no further considerations.
 E.Upon receipt of the completed Request of Reconsideration of Instructional Materials, the principal notifies the Instructional Materials Advisory Committee.
 F.The Instructional Materials Advisory Committee will serve in an advisory capacity concerning challenged materials. The Committee will be composed of the Superintendent, principal, media specialist, two (2) faculty members appointed by the principal whose subject area could be affected by the complainant, and two (2) lay persons to be appointed by the Superintendent. These individuals would all be from the school receiving the complaint.
 G.The challenged material may be temporarily withdrawn pending a decision of the Instructional Materials Advisory Committee.
 H.The committee may work in either open or closed sessions at its discretion.
 I.All balloting shall be by secret ballot.
 J.The committee will take the following steps after receiving the completed Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials form:
  1.Reads, views or listens to the challenged material in its entirety.
  2.Checks general acceptance of the material by reading reviews and consulting recommended lists.
  3.Re-evaluates the material using the previously established selection criteria.
  4.Determines the extent to which the original criteria were valid and/or appropriately applied.
  5.Completes and submits to the Superintendent a written report stating its findings and recommendations. Recommendation will be one of the following:
   a.Removal from the collection.
   b.Restricted use.
   c.Return to regular use.
 K.The Superintendent shall inform the complainant, and others as deemed appropriate, of the decision within thirty (30) days of the date the principal receives the complainant's completed form.
 L.The decision can be appealed to the Board of Education.