Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Inquiry and/or Reconsideration Procedure

In the event that a question is raised by an Anne Arundel County resident, parent, student, or staff member about any instructional materials used within a school, the procedure outlined below must be followed in order for such material to be removed.

A person with an inquiry/reconsideration will first discuss the concern with the principal of the school involved. If satisfactory resolution cannot be reached, the person may complete a "Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials/Library Media" form (Appendix V). Upon receipt of the completed form, the principal will notify the Director of Curriculum or the Director of Library Media Services and program coordinator that an inquiry/reconsideration has been filed, and the principal will convene a school-level Materials Evaluation and Selection Committee to reconsider the material in question. The "Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials/Library Media" form may be obtained from the school principal or by calling the Director of Curriculum at the Board of Education, (410) 222-5412.

The school-level Materials Evaluation and Selection Committee named by the principal to consider the inquiry/reconsideration will meet within ten (10) work days. The principal will designate a staff member or the reading teacher or library media specialist to head the committee. At least one non-staff adult representative from the community shall serve on the committee. The person filing the inquiry/reconsideration will be notified of the date, time, and place of the meeting, and may choose to meet with the school-level committee to clarify the written challenge. The school-level committee will render a decision in writing to the person filing the inquiry/reconsideration within ten (10) work days and notify the Director of Curriculum or the Director of Library Media Services and program coordinator of the committee's decision. The school- level committee shall maintain a file of all reconsideration forms received at the school level and shall forward a copy of the completed form and written decision to the program coordinator. This decision will be final and not subject to further challenge for that school for the remainder of the school year in which the challenge originated, unless appealed and overturned at a higher level.

If the person filing the inquiry/reconsideration is not satisfied with the school-level committee's decision, he/she may request that the completed "Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials/Library Media" form be forwarded to the Director of Curriculum or the Director of Library Media Services and program coordinator at the Central Office within 30 calendar days of the written decision. The Director of Curriculum or the Director of Library Media Services will refer the appeal to the county-level Materials Evaluation and Selection Committee to reconsider the materials challenged at its next regularly scheduled meeting, but no later than the end of that school year. The county-level committee will be chaired by the appropriate division director who will serve as a non-voting member, and it will include the appropriate program coordinator. If deemed necessary, the county-level committee will be augmented to include an instructional director, library media specialist, and/or other persons who might offer specific expertise. The person filing the inquiry/reconsideration will be notified of the date, time, and place of the county-level committee meeting, and may choose to be present for the purpose of clarifying the written challenge and/or answering questions from the committee. Within 30 work days following the review, the county-level MOI committee will provide a written decision to the person filing the inquiry/reconsideration and will inform the school principal of its decision. The program coordinator will maintain a file of all requests and decisions. This decision will be final and binding and will preclude all other requests for the same material for one calendar year, unless the decision is appealed and overturned at a higher level.

If the person filing the inquiry/reconsideration is not satisfied with the county-level committee's decision, he/she may direct that the matter be referred to the Superintendent of Schools for reconsideration. This request must be made within ten (10) work days of the final decision of the county-level committee. The Superintendent of Schools shall provide a written decision to the person filing the inquiry/reconsideration within ten (10) work days of receiving the completed inquiry/reconsideration form. This decision will be final and binding and will preclude all other requests for the same material for one calendar year, unless the decision is appealed and overturned at a higher level.

If the person filing the inquiry/reconsideration is dissatisfied with the decision rendered by the Superintendent of Schools, or if no decision is rendered within ten (10) work days, he/she may refer the inquiry/reconsideration to the Board of Education within ten (10) work days. A hearing examiner may be appointed by the Board to hear the appeal. This decision will be final and binding and will preclude all other requests for the same material for five calendar years, unless the decision is appealed and overturned at a higher level.

Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials/Library Media Form