The Davis School District board unanimously approved instructional materials during a July 21 meeting, following a debate over whether teachers should provide advance notice to parents regarding books with sensitive themes. The discussion addressed whether the district should require teachers to notify parents via email or other means before studying books that may contain controversial content.
Debate Over Parent Notifications
The discussion centered on a business item regarding instructional materials and whether new language should require teachers to alert parents before covering books with potentially touchy content. Board member Julie Powell suggested that for certain books, such as "The Fault in Our Stars," which is recommended for grades 10 and above, the board should approve the material with an included parent warning due to risqué content.
Board President Brigit Gerrard expressed support for adding such wording to the approval process. Teaching and Learning Director TJ Strain noted that while providing such a notice is considered good practice, he did not believe it required a formal recommendation. Strain stated the district aims to encourage teachers to send notes home—whether through a disclosure or a unit overview—to keep parents informed about upcoming reading materials.
Concerns of Micromanagement
The proposal for mandatory notifications met with mixed reactions from board members. Michelle Barber argued that the responsibility for reviewing materials should remain with parents through the existing syllabus. She noted that many parents find it difficult to track every single syllabus, especially in secondary schools where students manage multiple classes.
Board member Emily Price expressed concerns that requiring extra notifications beyond the syllabus could constitute micromanaging of teachers. Meanwhile, Superintendent Dr. Dan Linford maintained that the district expects parents to read syllabuses and emphasized that teachers are already trained to communicate through disclosure statements and syllabi.
Sensitive vs. Controversial Content
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Logan Toone clarified the distinction between controversial themes and prohibited materials. He noted that while a book might have content that warrants a parent letter, it does not necessarily mean the book contains sensitive materials that would prohibit its use in schools. Toone stated that a board directive to include a letter home would be considered out of the ordinary given the standard process for approving instructional materials.
State Legal Framework
The debate occurs within the framework of Utah state law regarding sensitive instructional materials. Under Utah Code Section 53G-10-103, sensitive materials are prohibited in school settings. The law defines sensitive material as instructional material that constitutes objective or subjective sensitive material, including pornographic or indecent material.
State rules require local education agencies to prioritize protecting children from the harmful effects of illicit pornography during the evaluation of instructional materials. Additionally, state administrative rules require school districts to establish policies for the selection and reconsideration of materials, ensuring a process is in place for parents to challenge specific items.
Final Board Decision
Ultimately, the board chose to move forward with the approval of instructional materials without adding a mandatory notification requirement. The district's current policy maintains that teachers typically include book information within their standard syllabi or beginning-of-the-year disclosure statements.
Compliance and Oversight
The district continues to follow established procedures for instructional material selection, which is governed by both local policy and state mandates designed to ensure transparency and compliance with Utah's educational standards.
