ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Academic freedom is essential to the purpose of the school system. The School Committee acknowledges the fundamental need to protect teachers from unconstitutional censorship or restraint, which would interfere with their obligation to pursue truth in the performance of their classroom functions. Accordingly, the Committee establishes the following guidelines.

A. The nature of American democracy requires that citizens be able to listen to all sides of a controversial issue, sort out the facts, and arrive at individual conclusions. In a respectful manner, students have a right, at appropriate times, to be exposed to controversial issues, which are considered by the administration to be within their intellectual grasp.

B. This right of students imposes certain obligations upon the Committee, the administration, the teachers and the community.

C. The Committee will endeavor to hire and retain only exceptionally competent teachers; provide them with selected books and instructional materials which are appropriate for the subject and the age group of students who will use them; and promote an atmosphere of academic freedom in the schools.

D. Teachers will be expected to have consulted with the administration beforehand, if possible, and use the utmost discretion whenever discussing controversial issues appropriate to the maturity and needs of students.

E. The community has a right (1) to expect that controversial issues will be presented in an unbiased manner; and (2) to communicate to the administration and, if necessary, the Committee through established procedures, when convinced that a controversial issue has not been presented in an unbiased manner.

F. Students, with their parents or guardians, who find assigned books and instructional materials objectionable, shall be provided with alternatives whenever possible.

Adopted: 12-05-00