January 2023
By: Jean Gritter, OASL Advocacy Chair
This article is based on a session at the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators 2022 Conference, co-presented by Jean Gritter (District Librarian, Greater Albany Public Schools), Jennifer Maurer (School Library Consultant, State Library of Oregon), and Kate Weber (Teacher-Librarian, Reynolds School District). The presentation was an outreach and advocacy effort to educate and inform school administrators about book challenges and the importance of certified teacher-librarians. The slide deck for this session can be found at https://bit.ly/COSA2022books.
In today’s polarized political climate, one of the greatest challenges facing librarians is upholding intellectual freedom and supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion in the face of parent and/or community objections to the content of books in their school’s collection or curriculum. Even the most supportive school administrators must also remain attentive and responsive to the community in which their school exists. Currently in the United States, the majority of the books being challenged most frequently include characters and storylines that support equity and diversity, through their representation of students and families who have previously been grossly underrepresented.[1] When this happens, how do librarians and administrators balance these seemingly conflicting obligations, while still advocating for students’ right to read?
Librarians may need to help school and district administrators understand the tenets of intellectual freedom: “the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction,” according to the American Library Association.[2] Resources such as The Students’ Right to Read from the National Council of Teachers of English[3] and Library Bill of Rights from the American Library Association[4] can help school officials understand the importance of maintaining a diversity of resources for all students. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE), in their Guidance to School Districts: Addressing Challenged Materials in K-12 Education, “affirms a parent’s right to determine content that is not appropriate for their child and to exempt their child from those activities.” However, ODE points out, “a parent’s judgment or preference may not be extended to other students or their families.”[5]
Understanding the different stages involved in objections to materials is also important for both librarians and their administrators:
A concern is just that — an individual is worried about materials that are available in the classroom or library, but has not yet taken any action.
A concern becomes a complaint when the complainant discusses their concern with a teacher, administrator, library staff, or others (school board, social media, news media, etc.), but has not formally challenged materials.
A challenge happens when the complainant escalates the complaint and asks for a specific action — removal of a book for all students, for example. A challenge should always take place through a formal process that follows policies.
Further discussion of these stages of objection, as well as de-escalation guidelines, can be found in the COSA session slide deck.
Crafting an Effective Reconsideration Policy
The answer to the question of how to balance community concerns about content of materials against intellectual freedom and equity concerns begins with an effective and transparent reconsideration policy. Librarians and administrators should be well-versed in their school or district’s reconsideration policy and process, advocate for better policy when necessary, and make sure that anyone who may field a materials challenge understands it, as well.
Adherence to an effective policy addresses both content concerns and intellectual freedom concerns.
An effective reconsideration policy should include:
Any relevant district philosophies (support for intellectual freedom, diversity stance, etc.);
Clear definitions and consistent use of terms (for example, are school and classroom library materials considered instructional materials, or are they separate?);
An alternative informal resolution process (aimed at de-escalating a complaint so it does not become a challenge);
Specific parameters about who may file a challenge and types of materials covered by the policy;
A plan of action and timelines;
A process for establishing a reconsideration committee consisting of a broad group of stakeholders to review the complaint and the material in question and to recommend whether to retain, restrict, or remove the material;
Clear delineation of responsibility throughout the process;
A challenge form that requires specific details about the material and complainant;
An appeals process.
Furthermore, the policy should include a written challenge form outlining specific objections, as well as confirmation that the complainant has read the entire work in question. There should be information about who has the right to request a reconsideration of materials (e.g. parents of current students), as well as the makeup of the review committee (such as administrators, teachers, and licensed library staff, and possibly classified library staff, students, or community members). The American Library Association provides a Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit[6] that may be useful to schools and districts creating or revising policies.
A Defensible Library Collection
A well-managed collection is a defensible collection.
When developing a strong collection, a licensed librarian should use a clear collection development policy to analyze, weed, and build the collection. This process should include an analysis of the school community, as well as curriculum.
Classroom libraries are often overlooked in collection development and reconsideration policies, but they should be carefully curated, as well. It is this careful attention that provides the information needed to respond to a materials challenge if one should arise. A collection that is intentionally developed and regularly analyzed has the strongest foundation to stand on in the event of a challenge.
Recommendations for Licensed Librarians and Administrators:
Librarians and administrators should work together to
Review relevant state and district guidelines around instructional and library materials.
Check that current policies exist for instructional, school library, and classroom library materials.
Become familiar with current relevant policies.
Create, update, or revise policies as necessary.
Ensure that staff who may field complaints and challenges are familiar with relevant policies and procedures.
A school or district that has clear policies and well-managed collections, where staff is aware of and transparently follows established processes, is in the best position to responsibly balance the concerns of the community and the protection of intellectual freedom. Preparation and expertise are the strongest tools available.
You can find several sources for this information in the conference session slide deck.
Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A, American Library Association
The Students’ Right to Read, National Council of Teachers of English
Access to Resources and Services in the School Library: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights, American Library Association
Guidance to School Districts: Addressing Challenged Materials in K-12 Education, Oregon Department of Education
Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, & Academic Libraries, American Library Association