Valders Area School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

9130 - PUBLIC REQUESTS, SUGGESTIONS, OR COMPLAINTS

Any individual(s), having a legitimate interest in the staff, programs and operations of this District shall have the right to present a request, suggestion, or complaint to the District and the Board of Education. At the same time, the Board has a right to protect the staff from inappropriate harassment. It is the intent of this policy to provide guidelines for considering and addressing public requests, suggestions, or complaints in an efficient, reasonable, and equitable manner. Requests, suggestions, or complaints made by District staff members are covered by Policy 3122 and Policy 4122.

It is the desire of the Board to address any such matters through direct, informal discussions and other means. It is only when attempts at informal resolution fail that more formal procedures shall be used.

Generally, requests, suggestions, or complaints reaching the Board or Board members shall be referred to the District Administrator for consideration. Any individual presenting such a matter shall be provided with a copy of this policy.

Guidelines for Matters Regarding a Professional Staff Member

 

A.

First Level

   
 

Generally, if the matter concerns a professional staff member the individual(s) should discuss the matter with the staff member. The staff member shall take appropriate action within his/her authority and District administrative guidelines to deal with the matter.

   
 

Discussion with the staff member may not be appropriate in some situations including, for example, where the matter involves suspected child abuse, substance abuse, or any other serious allegation that may require investigation or inquiry by school officials prior to approaching the staff member.

   
 

As appropriate, the staff member shall report the matter and whatever action may have been taken to the appropriate supervisor.

   
 

B.

Second Level

   
 

If the matter has not been satisfactorily addressed at the First Level or it would be inappropriate to discuss the matter with the staff member, the individual(s) may discuss the matter with the staff member's supervisor, if applicable. Discussions with the supervisor shall occur promptly following any discussion with the staff member.

   
 

C.

Third Level

   
 

If the matter has not been satisfactorily addressed at the Second level, and the matter does not involve the District Administrator, the individual(s) may submit a written request for a conference to the District Administrator. This request should include:

     
 

1.

the specific nature of the request, suggestion or complaint and a brief statement of the facts giving rise to it;

   
 

2.

the respect in which it is alleged that the individual(s) (or child of a complainant) has been affected adversely;

   
 

3.

the action which the individual(s) wishes taken and the reasons why it is felt that such action be taken.

   
 

The request must be submitted promptly after discussion with the staff member’s supervisor. The District Administrator shall respond in writing to the individual(s) and shall advise the Board of any resolution of the matter.

     
 

D.

Fourth Level

   
 

If the matter has not been satisfactorily addressed at the Third Level, or at the First Level in the case of a matter involving the District Administrator, the individual(s) may submit a written request to the Board to address the matter. Any such request must be submitted within ten (10) days of receiving the District Administrator’s written response.

   
 

The Board, after reviewing all material relating to the matter, shall provide the individual(s) with a written response and/or grant a hearing, which may be held in closed session at the discretion of the Board when consistent with Wisconsin's Open Meetings law, before the Board.

   
 

The individual(s) shall be advised, in writing, of the Board's decision no more than ten (10) business days following the next regular meeting. The Board's decision will be final on the matter, and it will not provide a hearing to other complainants on the same issue.

   
 

If the individual(s) contacts an individual Board member to discuss the matter, the Board member shall inform the individual that s/he has no authority to act in his/her individual capacity and may refer the individual(s) to this guideline or the District Administrator for further assistance.

Guidelines for Matters Regarding District Services or Operations

If the matter relates to a District procedure or operation, it should be addressed, initially, to the appropriate supervisor and then in subsequently higher levels as prescribed in "Guidelines for Matters Regarding a Professional Staff Member".

Guidelines for Matters Regarding Enrollment Disputes

If the matters relates to disputes concerning student residency determination, Homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Act, or related issues, the matter should be addressed initially to the District’s Residency or Homelessness Coordinator, and then to the Third Level of the process for "Matters Regarding a Professional Staff Member".

Guidelines for Matters Regarding the Educational Program

If the matter relates to a District program, it should be addressed, initially, to the appropriate supervisor and then in subsequently higher levels as prescribed in "Matters Regarding a Professional Staff Member".

Guidelines for Matters Regarding Instructional Materials

The District Administrator shall prepare administrative guidelines to ensure that students and parents are adequately informed each year regarding their right to inspect instructional materials used as part of the educational curriculum and the procedure for completing such an inspection. See Policy 2414, AG 9130A and Form 9130 F3.

If the request, suggestion, or complaint relates to instructional materials such as textbooks, library books, reference works, and other instructional aids used in the District, the following procedure shall be followed:

 

A.

The criticism is to be addressed to the Principal, in writing, and shall include:

   
 

1.

author;

   
 

2.

title;

   
 

3.

publisher;

   
 

4.

the complainant's familiarity with the material objected to;

   
 

5.

sections objected to by page and item;

   
 

6.

reasons for objection.

   
 

B.

Upon receipt of the information, the Principal may, after advising the Director of Curriculum of the complaint, and upon the Director’s approval, appoint a review committee consisting of:

   
 

1.

one (1) or more professional staff members, including a teacher and the library media specialist;

   
 

2.

one (1) or more Board members;

   
 

3.

one (1) or more lay persons knowledgeable in the area.

   
 

C.

If the request, suggestion, or complaint relates to the human growth and development curriculum or instructional materials, it shall be referred to the advisory committee responsible for developing the human growth and development curriculum and advising the Board on the design, review and implementation of the curriculum. (See Policy 2414).

   
 

D.

The committee, in evaluating the questioned material, shall be guided by the following criteria:

   
 

1.

the appropriateness of the material for the age and maturity level of the students with whom it is being used

   
 

2.

the accuracy of the material

   
 

3.

the objectivity of the material

   
 

4.

the use being made of the material

   
 

E.

The material in question may not be withdrawn from use pending the committee's recommendation to the District Administrator.

   
 

F.

The committee's recommendation shall be reported to the District Administrator in writing following the formation of the committee. The District Administrator will advise the individual(s), in writing, of the committee's recommendation and advise the Board of the action taken or recommended.

   
 

G.

The individual(s) may appeal the District Administrator’s recommendation within ten (10) business days to the Board. The appeal shall be submitted in writing to the District Administrator within thirty (30) business days of receiving the District Administrator’s recommendation. The written appeal and all written material relating to it shall be referred to the Board for consideration.

   
 

H.

The Board shall review the matter and advise the individual(s), in writing, of its decision as soon as practicable.

No challenged material may be removed from the curriculum or from a collection of resource materials except by action of the Board, and no challenged material may be removed solely because it presents ideas that may be unpopular or offensive to some. Any Board action to remove material will be accompanied by the Board's statement of its reasons for the removal.

118.01, 118.019, Wis. Stats.
20 U.S.C. 1232h

Revised 1/27/14

© Neola 2013