KEC - Public Complaints about Instructional Materials

Date Adopted: 7 April 1993

Current Review / Revision: 17 June 1998

Schools have a basic obligation to defend and protect the rights of parents. In doing so, no child shall be forced to use any instructional materials to which his/her parents object unless such material and the use thereof is required by state law or the School Board for graduation requirements.

The District administration shall establish procedures for the reconsideration of instructional materials. Persons requesting that an instructional material be reconsidered must follow established District procedures.

Requests for reconsideration of local school instructional materials must be processed through the principal's office. Requests for reconsideration of instructional materials used District-wide must be processed through the office of the superintendent.

The item in question will remain in use during the reconsideration process. No item is to be removed from school use without first going through the approved District reconsideration procedures.

Procedures

Reconsideration of Local School Instructional Materials:

1. The individual must complete, in entirety, the "Request for Reconsideration of an Instructional Material." This form must be submitted to the principal.
2. Upon receipt of such a request, a meeting of an evaluation committee will be set to consider the request. Members of the committee will be: Principal; classroom teachers (3); library media specialist (if item being reviewed is a library item); and parents (2).
3. The committee will meet, review the item in question in conjunction with the reconsideration request, and make a decision. This process will be completed within thirty (30) days.
4. If the committee cannot reach a consensus on the placement of the item, the District superintendent (or designee) will review the item and the proceedings and will make a decision with regard to the item in question.
5. The individual who has filed the request will be notified, in writing, of the decision. Copies of the decision will be available through the principal's office.

Reconsideration of District-Wide Instructional Materials:

1. The individual must complete, in entirety, the "Request for Reconsideration of an Instructional Material." This form must be submitted to the superintendent's office.
2. Upon receipt of such a request, a meeting of an evaluation committee will be set to consider the request. Members of the committee will be: Supervisor of Elementary Education or Supervisor of Secondary Education, Chair; Classroom Teachers (3); Library Media Specialist (if item being reviewed is a library item); Parents (2); and Principal (1).
3. The committee will meet, review the item in question in conjunction with the reconsideration request, and make a recommendation to the Superintendent and the Board of Education. This process will be completed within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the request form.
4. If the committee cannot reach a consensus on the placement of the item, the superintendent will review the item and the proceedings and will make a recommendation to the Board with regard to the item in question.
5. The individual who has filed the request will be notified, in writing, of the Board's decision. Copies of the decision will be available through the superintendent's office.