Salt Lake City School District                                                                                    UNDER REVISION
Administrative Procedures for Board Policy C - 3

Title:                             Parent/Guardian Concerns about Curriculum or Instructional Materials
Index:                           C = Community Policies

References:                   Salt Lake City School District Board Policy C–3

Procedures for Implementation:

No child will be forced to use any instructional material, deemed objectionable by their parents, unless such material and the use thereof is required by state law or by the Salt Lake City School District Board of Education for graduation.

Procedures to express concerns and to request reconsideration of instructional material:

  1. A written explanation of any concern must be submitted to the school principal. The complainant will be informed of the intended use of the questioned material and the relevance to the core curriculum. The administrator may involve appropriate school and district personnel in the explanation of the selection procedure, criteria, and the qualifications of those who selected the material.
  2. In the event the person submitting a written concern is not satisfied with the initial explanation, he/she may complete a Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Material Form C-3 and submit it to the superintendent. All formal objections to instructional material must be reported on this form and filed by a parent/guardian of a student enrolled in the school district. Within 15 business days, the superintendent, or designee, will forward the form and the request to the Reconsideration Committee for evaluation.
  3. The Reconsideration Committee will be composed of the following to be appointed by the superintendent:
    1. District Library Media Supervisor, Chair;
    2. Salt Lake City School District building principal;
    3. Salt Lake City School District professional librarian;
    4. Two PTA representatives;
    5. Salt Lake City School District curriculum specialist; and
    6. Salt Lake City School District classroom teachers (minimum of two).
  4. The Reconsideration Committee will meet in open session and
    1. Distribute copies of the completed request form;
    2. Distribute copies of the challenged material as available;
    3. Give the complainant or group spokesperson an opportunity to talk about the request; and
    4. Provide reputable professional views of the material when available.
  5. At a second or subsequent meeting, the committee will make its recommendation in open session. The committee’s final recommendation may be to take no action or to remove all or part of the challenged material from all or part of the school. The written recommendation and its justification will be forwarded to the superintendent.
  6. The superintendent will consider the committee’s recommendation and make a decision. The superintendent’s decision will be forwarded to the board. Upon review by the board, the superintendent will notify the complainant by letter of any district action.
  7. If the complainant is not satisfied with the decision, he/she may request the matter be placed on the agenda of a future board business meeting. The board will decide whether it will investigate the request further or uphold the superintendent’s decision.
  8. Questioned material purchased through normal selection procedures will usually remain in use throughout the reconsideration process. In exceptional circumstances, the Reconsideration Committee, at its initial meeting, may temporarily suspend use of the material pending final determination by the committee, superintendent, and board.

Approved by:                 McKell Withers, Superintendent
Date:                            12/15/07

 

The Salt Lake City School District does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, or sex in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquires regarding non-discrimination policy: Kathleen Christy, Assistant Superintendent, 440 East 100 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111, (801)578-8251. You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights, Denver, CO, (303)844-5695.