• File:  IJ-R

    RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

    Material that is challenged usually belongs to one of the three basic categories: religion, ideology, or profanity/obscenity. Board policies regarding these areas shall be as follows:

    Religion -- Factual, unbiased material on religions has a place in school libraries.

    Ideologies -- Libraries should, with no thought toward swaying reader judgment, make available a balanced collection of primary and factual material, on the level of their students on various ideologies or philosophies which exert or have exerted a strong force, either favorably or unfavorably, in government, current events, politics, education and other phases of life. 

    Profanity/obscenity -- Materials shall be subjected to a test of literary merit and reality in context using the criteria established.

    When a problem concerning instructional resources in a school arises, the disposition of the problem will be made in a reasonable period of time.

    If an individual or group questions any instructional material available through the district they shall file their complaint with the Assistant-Superintendent Director/Principal. The Assistant Superintendent/Principal shall thereafter investigate the complaint and render a decision within 30 school days from the complaint. The decision of the Assistant-Superintendent Director/Principal shall be provided to the Superintendent-Director and Regional School Committee.

    If an individual or a group undertakes action to keep material from the shelves by checking it out and failing to return it, or by taking turns in keeping it checked out so that it is not available for student use, the Superintendent-Director shall request, in writing, the return of the material.  If it is not returned within thirty (30) days, a bill for the current replacement cost of the item shall be rendered to the party holding the item.

    After the Regional School Committee has adopted new materials or approved certain methods, that decision will not be reconsidered for a period of three years beginning with the end of the school year when the adoption is made.