| Vermilion Local School District |
| Bylaws & Policies |
2240 - CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
The approach of the teacher to controversial topics must be impartial and objective.
Teachers should use the following criteria for determining the appropriateness of certain issues for consideration as a part of the curriculum:
| A. | The treatment of the issue in question must be within the range, knowledge, maturity and competence of the students. | |
| B. | There should be study materials and other learning aids available from which a reasonable amount of data pertaining to all aspects of the issue should be obtained. | |
| C. | The consideration of the issue should require only as much time as is needed for satisfactory study by the class, but sufficient time should be provided to cover the issue adequately. | |
| D. | The issue should be current, significant, real and important to the students and teacher. Significant issues are those which, in general, concern considerable numbers of people, are related to basic principles or at the moment are under consideration by the public, press and radio. |
In discussing controversial issues, the teacher should keep in mind that the classroom is a forum and not a committee for producing resolutions or dogmatic pronouncements. The class should feel no responsibility for reaching an agreement.
No classroom teacher shall be prohibited from providing reasonable periods of time for activities of a moral, philosophical, or patriotic theme. No student shall be required to participate in such activities if they are contrary to the religious convictions of the student or his/her parents or guardians.
The Board acknowledges that it may not adopt any policy or rule respecting or promoting an establishment of religion or prohibiting any student from the free, individual, and voluntary exercise or expression of the student’s religious beliefs. However, such exercise or expression may be limited to lunch periods or other noninstructional time periods when students are free to associate.
The Board also recognizes that a course of study or certain instructional materials may contain content and/or activities that some parents find objectionable. If after careful, personal review of the program lessons and/or materials, the school will honor a written request for his/her child to be excused from a particular class for specified reasons. The student, however, will not be excused from participating in the course and will be provided alternate learning activities during times of such parent requested absences.
It is the teacher's responsibility to bring out the facts concerning controversial questions. He has the right to express his opinions, but in doing so, it is important that his students understand that it is his own opinion and is not to be accepted by them as an authoritative answer.
The principal bears a major responsibility for the administration and supervision of the curriculum, including the selection of materials and methods of instruction. He must be continuously aware of what is being taught in his school.
A teacher who is in doubt concerning the advisability of discussing certain issues in the classroom should confer with his principal as to the appropriateness of doing so. If the principal and the teacher are unable to agree, the issue should be referred to the Superintendent.
Parents or citizens who question the appropriateness of a subject being taught will be asked to address their concerns through the established chain of command beginning with the teacher.
The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines for dealing with controversial issues and with parental concerns about program content or the use of particular materials.
R.C. 3313.601
Revised 11/15/99
Revised 2/10/03