Policy IJLA - Stakeholder Concerns

From Policy IJLA (active since June 20, 2023):

Procedures for stakeholder input

Although the board delegates the selection of learning resources, it maintains ultimate responsibility to ensure that the learning resources used within the district are in alignment with our mission and our community’s values. This is done largely through the selection of learning resources as defined in policies IIA, IIAA, and IIAC. The board recognizes that in rare circumstances there may be learning resources in use in our district that do not align with our district’s mission and/or with our community’s values. In these instances the board recognizes the unique value of stakeholder input in identifying these mis-aligned learning resources. The following procedures will facilitate collaboration between the board and stakeholders when a re-evaluation of learning resources is desirable.

  1. If a parent/guardian believes a learning resource is inappropriate for their child that concern should be communicated to the superintendent’s designee (teacher, librarian, building principal, etc.) that is responsible for the learning resource. If possible, a reasonable accommodation will be provided. This request may be escalated to the building principal, superintendent, or board as needed. It is acceptable for a building principal to be the first person contacted.
  2. If a stakeholder believes that a learning resource is misaligned with the district’s mission or the community’s values then their concern should be made known to the superintendent’s designee responsible for the learning resource or building principal. The stakeholder must provide sufficient information about why the learning resource is misaligned so that the designee can properly evaluate the learning resource. If the stakeholder and the designee agree the learning resource is misaligned then the designee will remove the learning resource from use in the district. Once the learning resource has been removed, the designee will document the concern along with the resolution. This documentation will be made publicly available on the district’s website. This publication does not need to include the stakeholder’s nor the designee’s identifiers.
  3. If an agreement is not reached between the stakeholder and the designee then the stakeholder will be invited by the designee to lodge a formal complaint with the superintendent using form IJLA-E. The designee will provide this form to the stakeholder.
  4. Once a formal complaint is received by the superintendent, he/she will notify the board. The superintendent will conduct a thorough and prompt review or may, at their discretion, delegate this review to the relevant building principal if the building principal had not conducted the initial review. The stakeholder will be notified that a review is underway and who will be conducting it.
  5. If it is determined the resource is misaligned then the superintendent/principal will ensure the learning resource is removed from use in the district. The superintendent will then notify the board and stakeholder of the result of the review and the action taken. Once action has been taken, the superintendent / principal will document the complaint along with the resolution. This documentation will be made publicly available on the district’s website. This publication does not need to include the stakeholder’s identifiers. If the superintendent believes the learning resource is in alignment with the district's mission and our community's values then the matter will be referred to the board along with the superintendent’s recommendation.
  6. If the matter is referred to the board, then the board, at its discretion, may initiate its own review or it may accept the superintendent’s recommendation. If the board undertakes its own review, then each board member will review the learning resource. At the next practicable public meeting the board will decide if the learning resource is misaligned or not.
  7. At the board’s discretion a committee may be formed to conduct this review. The board will vote to accept or not accept the recommendation of the committee.
  8. If the board determines the learning resource is misaligned then the superintendent will remove the learning resource from use in the district. Whether the learning resource is found to be in alignment or misaligned, the board will designate a board member to author an explanation for the determination that the superintendent will publish along with the complaint and the results of any action taken. The stakeholder will be notified by the superintendent of the board’s decision and the results of any action taken.
  9. At the initiation of a review and if reasonably possible, the reviewing party may temporarily remove the learning resource from use pending the completion of the review.
  10.  If a review of a learning resource has previously been conducted and the results published then the stakeholder should be directed to this publication. No further review need be conducted. Requests to re-evaluate materials previously considered by the board may not be submitted for two calendar years and at that time must receive approval of the majority of the board members before a second evaluation will be conducted.