SCCPSS
CHALLENGED MATERIALS STEPS
1. A complainant raises a question or complaint concerning the content of instructional material.
2. The Materials Reconsideration Form is given to the complainant.
3. Upon receipt of the Materials Reconsideration Form, the principal will forward it to the school-level media committee [members shall include the principal or designee, Library Media Technology Specialist, grade-level teachers/department heads, and community member(s)].
4. Upon receipt of an appeal, the Superintendent or the designee, will convene a committee which will consider and/or hear the complaint (members shall include the Chief Academic Officer, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Governing Executive Director, Director of Reading/Language Arts, Director of Library/Media Services, and members of the System-Level Media Committee).
5. In the event of an appeal of the Superintendent’s decision, the complainant must make the appeal to the School Board within ten days through the Superintendent. This appeal is to be made using the Challenged Materials Appeal to the School Board Form IFBD-E-5.
SCCPSS RESOURCES:
Materials Reconsideration Form
Acknowledgement of Receipt of Reconsideration Form
School-Level Response to Reconsideration Form
System-Level Response to Reconsideration Form
Appeal to School Board
The complainant will be directed to contact the teacher and department chair regarding classroom materials or to the Library Media Technology Specialist regarding Learning Commons resources at the school where the complainant finds the material to be objectionable.
Once the school has been notified of the concern, site personnel shall respond to the complainant within five working days.
Site personnel shall explain the role the questioned material plays in the educational program, its intended educational usefulness, and any additional information regarding its use, including the option of an alternate selection and/or guided study.
If the issue is not resolved, proceed to step #2.
Site personnel (department chair, Library Media Technology Specialist, or principal) provides the Materials Reconsideration Form IFBD-E-1 and the Challenged Materials Policy IFBD-R to the complainant.
Site personnel will notify the principal of the complaint.
Complainant completes and returns the form to principal within five working days.
The principal acknowledges receipt of the form using the sample letter IFBD E-2.
The principal or designee shall notify the Chief Academic Officer of the review and forward the completed Materials Reconsideration Form, IFBD-E-1, to the school-level media committee within two working days.
If the reconsideration involves classroom resources, the teacher will submit to the committee a written rationale supporting the instructional value of the material in question.
The committee shall:
read the entire selection
examine the material as a whole and not on passages or components pulled out of context using Selection Policy IF.
weigh the strengths and weaknesses of the material and evaluate its relevance to the curriculum.
check the general acceptance of the material by reading professional reviews.
Materials under consideration will remain in use until a decision has been rendered.
The committee will complete the review and render a written decision using form IFBD-E-3 within 20 working days of the receipt of the Materials Reconsideration Form from the principal.
The committee’s written decision will be sent to the principal and the Chief Academic Officer.
The principal forwards a copy of the committee’s decision (IFBD-E-3) to complainant.
If the issue is not resolved, all appeals should be referred to the superintendent or his/her designee.
The Superintendent or the designee will request all related documents within five working days.
The committee shall examine the material using the same criteria as stated in step #3.
Materials under consideration will remain in use until a decision has been rendered.
The committee will complete the review and render a written decision using form IFBD-E-4 within 20 working days of the receipt of the appeal.
The committee’s written recommendation (IFBD-E-4) will be sent to the Superintendent.
The Superintendent or the designee will inform the complainant and the committee of the decision.
If the issue is not resolved, proceed to step #5.
The Superintendent shall forward the Challenged Materials Appeal to the School Board Form IFBD-E-5 and other relevant documents to the School Board for review within five working days.
The School Board shall examine the material using the same criteria as stated in step three.
Materials under consideration will remain in use until a decision has been rendered.
The Board of Education will complete the review and render a written decision within 30 working days of the receipt of the appeal.
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall inform the complainant of the final decision within five working days.