| Special Meeting/Workshop - No Division Assigned |
|
Title: Recommendation: I recommend that the School Board affirm the Superintendent’s March 2, 2007 denial of the appeal of the Complainant Laura Lopez’s challenge to the use of certain named instructional materials, deny and not consider any further the Complainant’s appeal for removal of any and all of the requested books from the Library Media Centers at A.W. Dreyfoos High School of the Arts and at Royal Palm Beach High School and authorize the Superintendent to sign all related documents. Description: The Complainant, Laura Lopez, a parent and County resident, filed Citizen’s Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials forms to request the removal of numerous named books from the respective Library Media Centers at Royal Palm Beach High School and at A.W. Dreyfoos High School of the Arts in the following categories: Homosexuality (multiple titles), Abortion (multiple titles) and Atheism (1 title). In compliance with Directive 8.122, through School Board policy 8.12, each school’s principal formed ad hoc School Materials Review Committees to conduct a school level review of the Complainant’s concerns. Committee members also considered book reviews from professional journals and literature on each of the challenged titles, copies of which are available for review in the School Board Minutes Office. The two School Materials Review Committees met independently of one another but arrived at similar conclusions that supported the continued student use of the school materials. Among their findings, both Committees noted that the complaints were not sufficiently specific, as the Complainant had failed to cite pages or parts of the books that she found objectionable, despite being asked to do so, and that instructional materials should include different points of view on current issues. Each principal notified the Complainant that the School Materials Review Committee for that school did not recommend removal of the challenged books for the Library Media Center for several specified reasons. (Exhibits 14 and 17) The Complainant was informed that the next level of appeal was to the Superintendent of Schools. The Complainant notified the Superintendent in writing of her request for appeal of the school level decisions. (Exhibits 18 and 20) The Superintendent reviewed the actions taken by each school and found no cause for further review of the requests for reconsideration. The Superintendent notified the Complainant of his decision and of the provision in Directive 8.122 for her to appeal the decision directly before the School Board. (Exhibit 21) The Complainant notified the Superintendent of her desire to appear before the School Board to present her position. The Complainant was notified of the date, time and place when the School Board would hear her appeal. Attached to this Board report are a Chronology of Events, exhibits documenting the process in this matter, and the relevant Directive, Policy, and Library Bill of Rights. Due to the volume of documentation, copies have been placed in the Board Minutes office. Financial Impact: None For Additional Information, contact: Ann Killets (akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us) Brenda Magee, Ed.D. Meezie Pierce Attachments (list):
|