Temecula school board calls for revision to literature complaint process
If approved, it would be the second revision to Administrative Regulation 1312.2 since it was adopted by the board on June 5, 1990.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
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the controversial novel “Speak,” by Laurie Halse Anderson, in which high school student Melinda becomes depressed and withdrawn after she is raped at a party by a senior.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
Email
Bookmark
POST A COMMENT
* Required to comment
-
- Honest to God
15 - UPDATE: Fire in Wildomar at 15 acres; homes no longer threatened 11
- UPDATE: Valle Vista neighborhoods still closed after reports of gunfire; some residents stranded 10
- Look who's turning 1! SWRNN celebrates one-year anniversary 10
- 17-year-old Canyon Lake girl reported missing 8
- Prop 8 struck down by U.S. District judge in San Francisco today 6
- Local photographer will display work at MSJC Menifee campus Sept. 8 6
- Palm Desert DUI checkpoint nabs five drivers 5
- Police: Man uses bodily fluids to taint female co-worker's water bottle 5
- 'Ground Zero Mosque' furor not unlike debate over Temecula Islamic center 5
- Honest to God
-
- Temecula apartment fire confined to room; no injuries reported The fire was reported at 11:49 a.m. at the Morning Ridge Apartments in the 30660 Milky Way Drive.
- Man's cut-short prison sentence for 1983 killing of mother could be renewed Bruce Lisker, 45, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 16 years to life in prison for the 1983 of fatally beating and stabbing his 66-year-old mother, Dorka, at her Sherman Oaks home. He was 17 years old at the time and using drugs.
- Brush fire near Campo by Pacific Crest Trail spreads to 300 acres The blaze created highly visible black smoke as it spread to the edge of Star Ranch, a working horse and cattle ranch and historical attraction.
- Los Angeles Unified votes to overhaul teacher evaluation process UTLA officials have been critical of a decision by the Los Angeles Times to post report cards for thousands of teachers, based on their students' scores on standardized tests.
- Menifee boy walks to save hearts after surviving rare heart condition In his short life, he has found something bigger to participate in each year -- the American Heart Association’s San Diego Heart Walk. Michael, along with Team Beat It members made up of family, friends and his past and present teachers, plans to walk in this year’s event on Sept. 19.
- Student who threatened community college professor in SD County arrested Oscar Torres, 22, also allegedly threatened the college community.
