1) Please include the name of the requester, date of the request, and status of the request where possible, understanding that privacy rules may restrict specific identity. In this case, if possible the type of standing / community membership claimed (ie parent of student…, etc)
2) Where and as possible, books for which challenge meetings have been requested with school staff (as I understand it a person with standing first meets with individual school representatives and is given the submission form). If possible I would like information about challenges in this stage of the process.
3) Where possible meeting minutes, notes, and other documents associated with the review of each book to shed light on the rationale for the decision making process.
4) if the challenged book is in fact part of the media center collection, used in the curriculum, in classroom collection, in other HCPSS schools by which levels (where possible, realizing that this information may not be fully available).
Responsive to this request, for number two above no central record-keeping process is in place for discussions with administration at the school level. This information is, however, anticipated to be collected moving forward when submitting a request to the Resource Reevaluation Committee. Please find the following responsive records for the remainder of your request attached:
- Reviewed Materials January 2024 – Present (as of the date of this request). This spreadsheet contains a list of all requests for challenges/reclassification and/or reconsideration of approved curriculum or library media resources during the timeframe sought. For those where a final decision has been made, the outcome and dates are also included.
- Requests for Reevaluation January 2024 – Present (as of the date of this request). While original request entries are not considered by the Resource Reevaluation Committee, information regarding school location, grades used, and reasons for objection from this sheet are shared orally with committee members. Please note, some of the requests were deemed invalid for review given they did not meet the parameters of Policy 8040, such as those books which were previously reviewed within the past two years, those not found within the library/instructional materials noted by the requester, or where insufficient information was provided to identify the book. All requests receive an email notification upon submission of the form. Under MPIA GP § 4-330, we have redacted sociological information where it contains personal addresses, email addresses, phone numbers and/or has the potential to pose a risk to individual safety or privacy.
- RRC Decision Letter – Juliet Takes a Breath. Under MPIA GP § 4-330, we have redacted sociological information where it contains personal addresses, phone numbers and/or has the potential to pose a risk to individual safety or privacy.
Please note, no minutes are taken during review committee meetings. Documentation of review committee member recommendations to retain or remove materials are being withheld under MPIA GP § 4-344, which allows a custodian to deny inspection of confidential opinions, deliberations, advice or recommendations from one governmental employee or official to another for the purpose of assisting the latter in the decision-making function. These records reveal pre-decisional recommendations of the review committee used to inform the final decision by the Superintendent/designee, where release would be contrary to the public interest given its potential to inhibit full and frank discussion in the instructional material review process.