Temecula school board calls for revision to literature complaint process

The board members of Temecula Valley Unified School District will vote Tuesday on revisions to board policy and administrative regulations for complaints concerning instructional materials, according to the board’s agenda.

If approved, it would be the second revision to Administrative Regulation 1312.2 since it was adopted by the board on June 5, 1990. It was revised once in 2004, and revisited by the board on Nov. 10.

This comes after the board’s August vote to approve high school assigned reading of the controversial novel “Speak,” by Laurie Halse Anderson, in which high school student Melinda becomes depressed and withdrawn after she is raped at a party by a senior. She finds it difficult to speak when her friends start blaming her for calling the cops and busting the party, according to the author’s Web site.

Current policy states that site principals be notified if there is a concern from a parent or guardian about their child’s assigned reading material. If the principal is unable to resolve the matter informally, a petition is provided to parents, who must return the petition within two weeks. If not returned within two weeks, the matter is considered resolved.

The school board requested the district’s English Curriculum Committee develop a procedure that would give parents options when it comes to required English reading assignments, and that plot summaries of core reading assignments be made available to parents.

Headed up by Dianne Vaez, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, the committee will present its revisions to the policy, including the addition of an opt-out form for parents requesting an alternative reading assignment for their child. The form would need to be received by the principal two weeks prior to the start of the reading assignment.

Other recommended board actions include the addition to the district’s Web site of a list of core literature for grades 9-12 by Dec. 17, grades 6-8 by Jan. 29, and K-5 by April 1. Additionally, the district’s Web site should make brief synopses of core literature titles available to parents, and provide a link to the California Department of Education’s recommended reading list, both effective Dec. 17.

The public session of Tuesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the district’s Conference Facility Meeting Rooms A, B and C, at 31350 Rancho Vista Road, Temecula, 92592.

Members of the board include President Richard Shafer, Clerk Bob Brown, Vincent O’Neal, Dr. Allen Pulsipher and Dr. Kristi Rutz-Robbins.

The role of the board is “to ensure that the school district is responsive to the values, beliefs and priorities of their community,” according to the district Web Site.

Maggie Avants is the education editor for SWRNN. Comments or story suggestions can be sent to mavants.swrnn@gmail.com. Follow SWRNNedu on Twitter.

Tags: Education, Laurie Halse Anderson, literature, Maggie Avants, Speak, SWRNN, Temecula, Temecula school board, TVUSD

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