Policy 8-303.1

SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS

Within the provisions of the General Statutes, the Newtown Board of Education acknowledges its responsibility for the purchase of textbooks to be used in the classrooms of the school system. In fulfillment of this responsibility, the Board of Education will depend on members of the professional staff to screen, select, and recommend textbooks for final adoption by the Board.

The selection committee shall consist of teacher representatives from the subject area, school, and/or grade level where the text material will be used. In considering works for recommendation, an appropriate rating system shall be used and consultation with an appropriate administrator and the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction maintained. Requests for textbooks may be initiated by members of the professional staff, students, or other members of the community.
Procedures for Challenged Materials

The Board of Education acknowledges that despite the care taken to select textbooks for classroom use, occasional objection to a selection might be made by some member of the staff or community. In case the objection cannot be satisfied by the building administrator, a form for requesting reconsideration of the book shall be made available to the objector. This form, once filed with the building principal where the book or material is being used, shall go to a special review committee composed of the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction (who serves as committee chairperson) and representatives from the building where the book or material is being used. The building representatives, no more than one of whom may have served on the committee that selected the material, shall consist of an administrator, the library/media specialist, and two teachers from the appropriate grade level or subject area.

Not more than one week after the filing of a request for reconsideration, the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction shall announce a date for the committee findings to be reported to the Board of Education and convey this date to the objector. The report shall be within six (6) weeks of the original filing date unless otherwise authorized by the Board and shall contain the majority and any minority opinions. At the conclusion of the committee's report, the Superintendent shall make his recommendations for consideration and action. The objector will be notified of the Board's decision.

Approved 6/29/77
Modified 6/10/97