The School Committee believes that materials appropriate to the needs of the school program must be available to each student and teacher. These will be furnished by the School Committee subject to budgetary constraints.
The task of selecting instructional materials for programs will be delegated to the professional staff of the school district, subject to the review and reconsideration of the School Committee in appropriate circumstances. Because instructional programs and materials are of great importance, only those that meet the following criteria will be approved by the Committee:
- They must present balanced views of international, national, and local issues and problems of the past, present and future.
- They must provide materials that stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic and ethical values.
- They must help students develop abilities in critical reading and thinking.
- They must help develop and foster an appreciation of cultural diversity and development in the United States and throughout the world.
- They must allow sufficient flexibility for meeting the special needs of individual students and groups of students.
- They must be age-appropriate based on grade level and must not contain: pervasive vulgarity; graphic violence; explicit descriptions or depictions of sex acts; demeaning characterizations of any race, age, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, physical disability, or sexual orientation.; or instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity.
As the primary educators of their children, parents and legal guardians shall have the right to opt their child out of using educational materials that conflict with their religious, moral, or philosophical beliefs. Any child who has been opted out shall receive appropriate alternative instruction. The District may only make an exception to this provision such an opt-out request would substantially undermine the District’s ability to educate the child and alternative instruction is not feasible. Denials of an opt-out request may be appealed in writing to the School Committee.
LEGAL REFS.: M.G.L. 30B:7; 71:48; 71:49; 71:50
603 CMR 26.00
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