10.68.101    EDUCATIONAL MEDIA LIBRARY

(1) The Board affirms a policy which will provide media materials that develop critical thinking, objective evaluations, and aesthetic appreciation suitable to the maturity level and ability of students.

(2) For purposes of Board approval or disapproval of the selection of educational media, the superintendent of public instruction shall prepare, subject to board approval;

(a) Definition of scope and purpose of the library,

(b) Establishment of selection criteria, and

(c) Procedures for acquisition, circulation, replacement and withdrawal.

(3) The determination of the educational effectiveness of instructional materials is the responsibility of the local school districts as addressed in the board of public education's administrative rule 10.55.404(2) "Each school district shall have written policies regarding the selection, use and evaluation of materials and services and procedures for handling challenged material. The selection and use of specific items of material, with the advice of the staff, are the responsibility of the local school board." If an interested person objects to a particular item of locally assigned instructional material as offensive on grounds of individual conscience, he/she should turn to the district officials. Such objection should not be considered a challenge to the existence of the material in the educational media library which serves the state of Montana.

(4) If an interested person wishes to challenge the existence of certain materials in the educational media library, the following procedures shall be followed:

(a) Such person shall be directed to the library media specialist;

(b) The library media specialist will invite the com-plainant to complete and return the "request form for re-evaluation of resources;"

(c) The completed questionnaire will be submitted by the library media specialist to a review committee consisting of the library media specialist, specialists) representing the subject area being challenged and the board representative;

(d) The review committee will examine the resources referred to, check the general acceptance of the resources through reviews, weight values and faults of the material and form an opinion based on the resource as a whole, and meet to discuss the resource to review the complainants' objections and prepare a report for the board decision;

(e) The decision of the board will be forwarded to the complainant, the state superintendent and members of the committee.

History: Sec. 20-2-121(8) MCA; IMP, Sec. 20-2-121(8) MCA; NEW, 1984 MAR p. 1474, Eff. 9/1/85.