Request for Reconsideration of Materials

When the appropriateness of library books or materials is questioned by a parent, student, or staff member, resolution begins at the school level with the Inquiry and/or Reconsideration Procedure. 

INQUIRY AND/OR RECONSIDERATION PROCEDURE

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

1. A person with a reconsideration request will first discuss the concern with the principal of the school involved. If a satisfactory resolution cannot be reached, the person may elect to complete a "Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials" form which can be obtained from the school principal or found on the School System’s School Library Office internet site.
2. Upon receipt of the completed form, the principal will notify the Director of Instruction who will notify the appropriate personnel that a reconsideration request has been filed.
3. The principal will convene a school level Materials Evaluation and Selection Committee to reconsider the material in question. The principal may designate a staff member such as the reading teacher or school librarian to head the committee. The committee will meet within fifteen workdays of receiving the completed reconsideration request form.
4. The person filing the reconsideration request form will be notified of the date, time, and place of the meeting, and invited to meet with the school level committee to clarify the written challenge.
5. The school level committee will render a decision in writing to the person filing the reconsideration request within fifteen workdays of the school level meeting and notify the Director of Instruction. 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 the written decision to the content coordinator, the Coordinator of School Libraries and the Director of Instruction.
6. 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 the decision is appealed and overturned at a higher level.
7. If the person filing the reconsideration request is not satisfied with the school level committee's decision, he/she may request that the completed "Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials" form be forwarded to the Director of Instruction and the appropriate content coordinator within fifteen work days of the written decision.
8. The Director of Instruction will convene a Materials Evaluation and Selection Committee to reconsider the materials challenged no later than the end of that school year. This county level committee will be chaired by the Director of Instruction and will include the appropriate content coordinator(s) and others.
9. The person filing the reconsideration request will be notified of the date, time, and place of the Materials Evaluation and Selection Committee meeting, and invited to meet with the county level committee to clarify the written challenge.
10. The county level committee will render a decision in writing to the person filing the reconsideration request within twenty workdays of the county level committee meeting. The Director of Instruction shall maintain a file of all reconsideration forms received at the county and shall forward a copy of the completed form and written decision to the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.
11. This decision will be final and not subject to challenge at either the school or county level 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.
12. If the person filing the reconsideration request is not satisfied with the county level committee's decision, he/she may request that the matter be referred to the Superintendent of Schools for reconsideration. This request must be made within fifteen workdays of the final decision of the county-level committee.
13. The Superintendent of Schools shall provide a written decision to the person filing the reconsideration request within 30 (thirty) workdays of receiving the completed reconsideration request.
14. This decision will be final and not subject to challenge at either the school or county level 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.
15. If the person filing the reconsideration request is not satisfied with the decision rendered by the Superintendent of Schools, or if no decision is rendered within thirty workdays, he/she may refer the reconsideration to the Board of Education within fifteen workdays. 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.