Requestor
Sam Baxter
Requested Information
HCPSS Policy 8040, Selection of Instructional Materials, provides a procedure for approval and removal of instructional materials in classrooms and media centers.
For the following instructional materials:
1. This Book is Gay by James Dawson
2. From Archie to Zach
3. Rainbow Revolutionaries Sarah Prager
4. My Maddie Gayle Pittman
5. Poet X
6. Worm Loves Worm
7. Any additional instructional materials for which a request for reevaluation under HCPSS Policy 8040 was received that has not yet received a final determination for retention or removal
Please provide:
A. The status of the reevaluation process for each instructional material including any decision letters to the requester(s)
B. A copy of the complete original request(s) for review, the reasoning of the committee and individual members for and against retention of each book including committee member notes, input and votes.
C. For each book, provide:
1. The number of student committee members who voted to retain the book and the number of student committee members who voted to remove the book
2. The number of community committee members who voted to retain the book and the number of community committee members who voted to remove the book
3. The number of HCPSS employee committee members who voted to retain the book and the number of HCPSS employee committee members who voted to remove the book
C. Any other HCPSS documentation of the reasons considered for retention, reasons considered for removal, and reasons for final determination on the question of retention or removal of each book to include documentation, emails, notes, and discussions by the committee and/or HCPSS and MSDE personnel and consultants regarding these instructional materials in general or individually.
D. For all instructional materials in category 7 for which a final determination has not been made and for which a request for reevaluation has been made and/or a review is in process, I request a copy of the complete original request(s) for review, reasons under consideration for removal, reasons under consideration for retention, and any other documents containing information under consideration with regard to the instructional materials
In addition, I request a list of any additional instructional materials for which a request for reevaluation has been submitted, a reevaluation is in process, and/or a final determination has been made for instructional materials in this category for which information has not been provided as part of this request, MPIA #2022-087, or MPIA request #2022-102 from October 2021 to the present.
For the following instructional materials:
1. This Book is Gay by James Dawson
2. From Archie to Zach
3. Rainbow Revolutionaries Sarah Prager
4. My Maddie Gayle Pittman
5. Poet X
6. Worm Loves Worm
7. Any additional instructional materials for which a request for reevaluation under HCPSS Policy 8040 was received that has not yet received a final determination for retention or removal
Please provide:
A. The status of the reevaluation process for each instructional material including any decision letters to the requester(s)
B. A copy of the complete original request(s) for review, the reasoning of the committee and individual members for and against retention of each book including committee member notes, input and votes.
C. For each book, provide:
1. The number of student committee members who voted to retain the book and the number of student committee members who voted to remove the book
2. The number of community committee members who voted to retain the book and the number of community committee members who voted to remove the book
3. The number of HCPSS employee committee members who voted to retain the book and the number of HCPSS employee committee members who voted to remove the book
C. Any other HCPSS documentation of the reasons considered for retention, reasons considered for removal, and reasons for final determination on the question of retention or removal of each book to include documentation, emails, notes, and discussions by the committee and/or HCPSS and MSDE personnel and consultants regarding these instructional materials in general or individually.
D. For all instructional materials in category 7 for which a final determination has not been made and for which a request for reevaluation has been made and/or a review is in process, I request a copy of the complete original request(s) for review, reasons under consideration for removal, reasons under consideration for retention, and any other documents containing information under consideration with regard to the instructional materials
In addition, I request a list of any additional instructional materials for which a request for reevaluation has been submitted, a reevaluation is in process, and/or a final determination has been made for instructional materials in this category for which information has not been provided as part of this request, MPIA #2022-087, or MPIA request #2022-102 from October 2021 to the present.
Date Received
Status
Complete
Response Notes
Responsive to this request, please find available records attached below. One record, an attorney-client communication regarding final determination for the book This Book is Gay, is being withheld under both MPIA GP §4-301(1), which requires a custodian to deny inspection of a record if by law the record is privileged or confidential, and 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.
No additional instructional materials have been submitted for reevaluation under D above.
Responsive Documents
By book title, this file contains the related original requests for review, available documentation regarding reasons for or against retention of each book by the committee members, and final decision letters. 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.
This contains the complete original entries for reevaluation requests outside those submitted on forms within the individual titles above. While original forms/entries are not considered by the committee, information regarding school location, grades used, and reasons for objection from this sheet are shared orally with committee members. Please note, no minutes are taken during review committee meetings. 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.