The Davis School District board unanimously approved a new set of instructional materials during its July 21 meeting, following a debate over whether teachers should be required to provide parents with advance notice of books containing potentially sensitive content.
Debate Over Parent Notification
The discussion during the July 21 meeting focused on whether the district should implement a formal requirement for teachers to notify parents via email or other means before starting a unit involving books with "touchy" content. Board member Julie Powell suggested that for certain novels, such as "The Fault in Our Stars," the board should include a directive to provide a parent warning due to risqué content. Powell noted that if such information is only included in a general syllabus, many parents are unlikely to read it.
District Official Responses
District officials clarified that the book mentioned by Powell contains no prohibited sensitive materials. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Logan Toone stated that sensitive materials are prohibited from use in schools and that a board directive requiring letters home for approved books would be "abnormal."
Teaching and Learning Director TJ Strain noted that while formal requirements may not be necessary, the district continues to recommend that teachers send notes home to keep parents in the loop. Strain said that currently, teachers typically communicate upcoming reading through a syllabus or at the beginning of the school year.
Concerns of Micromanagement
Board members expressed conflicting views on whether additional notifications would constitute micromanaging. Board member Emily Price suggested that requiring notifications beyond the syllabus could be seen as micromanaging teachers, noting that many educators already do a good job of notifying parents.
Board member Michelle Barber argued that the responsibility for reviewing materials should remain with the parents through the syllabus. Superintendent Dr. Dan Linford added that the district expects parents to read syllabuses and that communicating through disclosure statements is part of standard teacher training.
State Legal Standards
The discussion occurred within the framework of Utah state law regarding sensitive instructional materials. According to Utah Code Section 53G-10-103, sensitive materials—defined as instructional material that is pornographic or indecent—are prohibited in school settings.
The law specifies that an LEA may not adopt or distribute sensitive materials, and schools must prioritize protecting children from the harmful effects of illicit pornography when evaluating instructional materials.
Final Board Action
The board ultimately concluded the session by unanimously approving the instructional materials presented. The meeting was held at the Administration Building in Farmington, Utah.
