AR 1312.2 — Complaints Concerning Instructional Materials

Procedures for Handling Challenged or Questioned Materials:

The Redlands Unified School District Board of Education supports the fundamental right of parents and guardians to direct the care and upbringing of their children, including the right to be informed about and involved in all aspects of their child’s education. This includes the right to monitor and challenge non-curricular reading materials in the school library.

Complaints regarding the appropriateness of library or reading material shall be addressed using the following district procedure. However, if questionable content is being challenged due to perceived pornography, erotica, graphic descriptions or depictions of sexual acts, and/or sexual violence, or sexually explicit materials, skip to Section II in the process listed below.

Section I. Complaints about library books may be initiated by students, parents or guardians, district residents, or staff members.

Complaint shall be submitted in writing to the principal using form (Exhibit 1312.2), which can be obtained via email, on the district’s website, or in person from school or district office staff.

The principal shall contact the complainant within five business days and attempt to resolve the complaint. The principal shall also inform the Superintendent who will inform the Board of Education.

If the complaint is not resolved, the principal shall email, mail or hand deliver the complainant’s form to the district Superintendent, the Educational Services Assistant Superintendent or designee and the Board of Education. The Superintendent or designee shall determine whether to convene a review committee to review the complaint.

If it is decided that a committee should be formed, the principal shall appoint a school evaluation committee to review the complaint and make a recommendation to review the concern. This committee shall consist of at least five members consisting of the principal, one librarian from a different school site, one classroom teacher from the same grade level but from a different school site and two non-employee community members, who will all read and review the book in question. For their evaluation, the committee will use a review rubric, rubric scorecard and definitions list created by a committee that will include at least one board member, one librarian, one cabinet member, one principal and one parent. Questioned material should not be available for the student involved pending final decision. A decision shall be reached within three months of the original complaint date.

When this decision is reached, the principal will provide the committee’s written report of decision within three business days to the complainant, school site librarian, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Superintendent, and Board of Education.

The complainant may appeal the decision by submitting a written request to the Superintendent. A district review committee shall be appointed by the Superintendent or designee to review the appeal. The district review committee assigned to review the appeal shall include the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, and the Director of Elementary or Secondary Education. The report of this review committee should be completed as quickly as reasonably possible, preferably within two months.

The decision on the appeal shall be sent in writing to the complainant. Copies of the decision shall be sent to involved administrators, librarians, and all board members. All decisions on an appeal shall be final.

Section II. If complaint alleges that material includes perceived pornography, erotica, graphic descriptions or depictions of sexual acts, and/or sexual violence, or sexually explicit materials, the following process shall be applied:

Parents/guardians/family members, students, or staff, or district residents may register a complaint to the school principal using the provided form (Exhibit 1312.2) to request removal of a specific item from a school library.

Once a formal complaint is received, the principal or district level designee shall determine whether the material meets the criteria for a Section II complaint. If the principal deems the material as qualified for a Section II complaint, then the principal must remove the item from the school library and notify the Superintendent of the removal within three business days.

Once notified, the Superintendent shall notify the Board of Education within two business days.

A district review committee shall be appointed by the Superintendent. The district review committee shall include the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, and the Director of Elementary or Secondary Education who will read and review the book or material in question. For their evaluation, the committee will use a review rubric, rubric scorecard and definitions list created by a committee that will include at least one board member, one librarian, one cabinet member, one principal and one parent. The report of this review committee should be completed as quickly as reasonably possible, preferably within two months.

When this decision is reached, the Superintendent will provide the committee’s written report of decision within three business days to the complainant, school site principal, school site librarian, and Board of Education.

Should the complainant disagree with the district review committee’s decision, this decision may be appealed in writing to the Board of Education President.

The Board shall then hold a public hearing within forty-five calendar days to determine whether the material is appropriate for student use.  The public hearing may be at a regularly scheduled board meeting or a special meeting. The Board shall vote to determine if the book or material in question, is suitable for elementary, middle school, and/or high school students throughout the district.  If the board votes that the material is unsuitable at any or all educational levels, said material should be permanently removed from corresponding school sites and designated district facilities within five business days.