IJL
(IJM)
(IMBB)
CHICHESTER SCHOOL
DISTRICT
Materials Selection
Policy
I. Purpose of this
policy:
The purpose of this policy is to explain in detail the procedures for the
selection, discarding, and review of all materials purchased for use in the
School District.
II. Responsibility for the selection of
materials:
Immediate responsibility for the selection of materials rests with the
teachers and media personnel within the school district. Ultimate legal responsibility rests with
the members of the Chichester School Board.
III.
Basic assumptions of the Selection
Policy:
This policy is founded upon the following
assumptions:
a) Materials will be
selected which are appropriate to meet the learning needs of Chichester students
keeping in mind the diversity of students’ interests, levels of sophistication,
and learning styles.
b) Suggestions and
reactions from teachers, those involved in the curriculum design process,
students, and other constituencies, will be considered in the selection of
materials.
c) In the event that an
individual requests the review of an item, the School Board will maintain an
objective opinion about the item, while it is under consideration. The item will remain on the shelf during
the consideration process.
d) Materials will at
all times be selected for inclusion in both the classroom and the Media Center
on the basis of what they can add to the learning process. Emphasis will be placed upon the
positive process of the selection of useful materials rather than on the
negative process on censorship.
IV.
Types of materials covered by this
policy:
This selection policy deals with the following types of
materials:
a) Classroom
textbooks
b) Supplementary
classroom materials
c) Audiovisual
materials used in the classroom, including filmstrips, films, audio tapes, video
tapes, microforms, maps, charts, three dimensional models, computer
programs
d) Both print and
non-print materials in the Media Center, including periodicals, pamphlets, and
computer programs.
V. Basis for the selection of
materials:
Materials will be selected for use in the classroom and/or the Media
Center on the basis of the contribution they can make to the learning
process. During the selection
process, an item will be rated according to the criteria listed on the form
called “Selection Rating Form,” which is included in the
Appendix.
VI.
Removal of an item from the
classroom or the Media Center:
When an individual feels that an item is inappropriate for use either in
the classroom or the Media Center, she/he shall submit a formal request for
review to the principal. Request
forms may be obtained from the principal or the media specialist. The procedure from that point shall be
as follows:
a) The principal will
refer the completed review form to the superintendent within ten days of its
receipt.
b) The superintendent
will, within one week, appoint a review committee, which will consist of the
following; one school board member, one member of the administration, the media
specialist, one teacher, a member of the community, the teacher who selected the
item, when appropriate.
c) The superintendent
will select one member of the board to serve as chairperson, and will refer the
reconsideration form to that person.
d) The review committee
will serve for a term of one year.
e) Within one month of
the filing of the review request, the members of the committee will review the
item and the review form to determine the validity of the
complaint.
f) Until the
review committee makes a final decision about the item, the item will remain in
use either in the classroom or the Media Center.
g) Within five days of
the review committee’s decision, the chairperson will notify the superintendent
of the review procedure. The
superintendent will then notify the principal from the school involved, the
school board, and the person who requested the review within the five days
following his notification of the committee’s
recommendation.
h) If the committee’s
recommendation is accepted by the superintendent and if the material is deemed
inappropriate, it will be removed immediately from the classroom or Media
Center.
i) If any party
disagrees with the superintendent’s decision, the appeal will be heard by the
Chichester School Board whose decision shall be final.
VI.
Special applications of this
policy to the Media Center:
Because the Media Center houses a great diversity of types of materials,
it is particularly important to select items for the collection which will make
a positive contribution to the learning process. Materials should be chosen after the
following questions have been asked:
a) Does the item
supplement the curriculum?
b) Does the item
encourage the appreciation of quality in literature?
c) Will the item assist
the students in the development of life skills?
As with the selection of classroom materials, literary merit, reputation
of the author or producer, technical quality, and cost, should all be considered
during the selection process. Other
factors which should be considered are requests of faculty members and students
and the need to achieve a balanced point of view on a particular subject within
the collection. When selecting
potentially controversial materials, the media specialist will complete the
“Selection Rating Form,” and she/he will consult a respected review source, such
as the following:
a) School Library
Journal
b) Book
list
c) Elementary School
Library Collection
d) H. W. Wilson Junior
High School Library Catalog
The process of adding materials to the collection will be carried out as
a positive process of selection rather than as the negative process of
censorship. Materials will be
selected according to the guidelines of the “School Library Bill of Rights,”
which is included in the Appendix.
VII.
Discarding of classroom and/or
Media Center materials:
Materials should be discarded from the classroom and/or Media Center
collection when they are no longer relevant to the learning process. This may be because they have become
worn and tattered, because they are out of date, or because they no longer
support curriculum needs. A written
record should be kept of all books and non-print items which are removed from
the collection.
When books, audiovisual materials,
or periodicals are discarded from the collection, they should be incinerated,
dispersed to the teachers for classroom use, if appropriate, dispersed to feeder
schools, or sold to purchase new materials.
APPENDIX
A
REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION
OF A BOOK OR OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL
TITLE
AUTHOR
PUBLISHER
DATE
YOUR
NAME
DATE
IS THIS
ITEM (CHECK ONE) A BOOK_____, A PERIODICAL_____, AV
ITEM_____?
IS THIS
ITEM USED IN (CHECK ONE) THE CLASSROOM_____, THE MEDIA
CENTER_____?
ARE YOU
REPRESENTING (CHECK ONE) YOURSELF_____, A GROUP_____?
WHAT IS
THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION?
1. What do you believe is the theme or
the purpose of the material?
2. Is your objection to this material
based upon your personal exposure to it, upon reports you have heard,
both?
3. Have your read/heard/seen the
material in its entirety?
4. To what aspect of the material do
you object?
5. In your opinion, what are the
material’s redeeming educational values?
6. Do you feel it might be appropriate
under certain conditions?
Under
supervision__________? As a part of
course work__________?
Used with
specific age group__________? Other
conditions__________?
7. What action would you recommend be
taken regarding the use of this material in the school?
SIGNATURE
DATE
APPENDIX
B
SELECTION
RATING FORM
TITLE
AUTHOR
BOOK PERIODICAL
AV (type)
PUBLISHER
DATE
TEACHER
DATE
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(LOW)
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5
(HIGH) |
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1. Does the item possess
literary merit? |
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2. Is the author or producer
held in high regard? |
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3. Is the item of good technical
quality, (clear print, quality binding, exceptional graphics, excellence
in color reproduc-tion? |
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4. Is the item reasonably
priced? |
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5. Can the item be used
effectively by a variety of teachers? |
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6. Is the item appropriate for
the age and level of sophistication of the students with whom it will be
used? |
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7. Does it use unnecessary
racism or sexism? |
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Are there
other factors that should be considered concerning the purchase of this
item?
APPENDIX
C
SCHOOL
LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS*
“School libraries
are concerned with generating understanding of American freedoms and with the
preservation of these freedoms through the development of informed and
responsible citizens. To this end
the American Association of School Librarians endorses the Library Bill of
Rights of the American Library Association and asserts that the responsibility
of the school library is:
To provide materials that
will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied
interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the pupils
served.
To provide materials that
will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic
values, and ethical standards.
To provide a background of information which will enable pupils to make intelligent judgments