Recommended Literature: K-12 Selection Policies

District Selection Policies

This page explains district selection policies to be used in conjunction with Recommended Literature: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve.

Careful and considered selection of literature for school libraries and classrooms should be made according to established policies and procedures. Many organizations offer sample selection policies. Whole courses on the selection of school library materials are taught to library media teachers in training. Classroom teachers, library media teachers, and administrators should anticipate that good literature, often based on real life issues, will draw requests to reconsider the use of a book. In fact, any piece of literature is potentially objectionable to someone, some place, some time, for some reason. Therefore, an ideal district selection policy establishes procedures for reconsidering the use of a specific title in addition to reflecting the school's philosophy of education, the curriculum, community values, and ages of students.

School library selection policies, approved by the local governing board, are usually based upon the principles of the Library Bill of Rights (Outside Source). It is important to determine whether the library selection policy applies to literature taught in the classroom or requires its own policy. Most selection policies include six basic elements.

• Criteria for selection
• Selection aids, e.g., professional reviews, firsthand evaluations, recommended lists, etc.
• Recommendations
• Donations
• Selection responsibility
• Reconsideration of materials

Whether the selection policy is developed by a local committee or adapted from another source, addressing the following checklist will assist in selection and confident use of quality literature in the classroom and library:

• Do you have a written instructional materials selection policy? Has it been formally adopted by your governing board? Is it reviewed each year and revised periodically? Does it specifically address literature taught in the classroom?
• Does your policy include a written procedure for handling complaints? Is it reviewed each year by principals, teachers, library media teachers, and classified library employees?
• Does your policy include guidelines for use of materials other than those purchased by the district (such as materials donated by parents, teachers, or students)?
• Is there an established procedure to inform parents of literature to be taught during the school year? Is the right of students to an alternate assignment addressed? The right not to read does not mean the right to prevent other persons from reading.
• Is it standard procedure for teachers to read a book before using it with a class or a small group?
• Do teachers prepare a brief rationale justifying the use of any literary work in class? The rationale would answer four questions: 1) Why would you want to use this work with this class at this time? 2) How do you believe this work will meet your objectives? 3) If problems of style, texture, tone, and theme exist for students in reading this work, how will you address those problems? 4) Assuming that the objectives are met, how will students benefit from having read and discussed this work?
• If a book is challenged, does the person raising the issue have an opportunity to talk with the teacher or library media teacher informally before any further steps are taken?
• Has the district established a standing committee for the purpose of dealing with requests for reconsideration? This standing committee should be representative of the community and educated about intellectual freedom issues in advance of any challenges.
• Does the district have open communication lines with civic, religious, educational, and political bodies in the community?
• Do you keep informed of current legal issues that affect the selection and use of instructional materials?
• Are selection tools available that assist library media teachers and classroom teachers in the choosing of quality titles?

Additional Resources

California School Boards Association (Outside Source) Policy Services.
Subscription information for sample board policies.

Intellectual Freedom for Children: The Censor is Coming (Outside Source).
This updated version of the Intellectual Freedom Packet is a guide to information on intellectual freedom issues. The notebook includes guidelines, policies, resolutions, background readings, and resource lists that help librarians prepare for and respond to challenges to materials. It also provides information on the impact of the Internet on intellectual freedom and discussion on library use of filtering software.

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) (Outside Source).
Guidelines and Position Statements.

The Students' Right to Read (Outside Source).
NCTE's pamphlet on setting up an orderly process for review of challenged instructional materials at the school or district level.

Guidelines for Dealing with Censorship of Nonprint Materials (Outside Source).
Lists principles and practices to guide teachers and administrators in the teaching and use of nonprint media (e.g., television, music video, film, software) and outlines how teachers can resist censorship of these materials.