How New Rochelle Parents Can Effectively Question Public Schools Teaching Their Children About Controversial Issues

Written By: Robert Cox

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Over the past couple of years there have been many parents taking to social media to complain about some of the more controversial material taught in the City School District of New Rochelle. Among the most controversial have been topics such as man-made climate change, gun control, anti-racism and critical race theory.

Those complaining clutter up social media with uninformed, feckless whining. Enough is enough.

For those parents who are genuinely concerned stop the bar stool boohooing; either do something or shut the hell up.

The New Rochelle Board of Education has policies that protect students from biased presentation of controversial or political issues and a formal process to challenge the selection of material available in the schools.

You can start by reading them.

Controversial and Political Issues — 6269

Free and unbiased study of important controversial or political issues appropriate to the subject under study shall be encouraged. Such study shall be objective and scholarly. The teacher shall approach such issues in an impartial and unprejudiced manner and shall refrain from using his/her privileges and prestige to promote a partisan point of view.

In planning the curriculum, the administration and the teachers shall take due cognizance of the rights of pupils to:

A. Study any controversial issue that is of significance and which is relevant to the curriculum.

B. Study controversial issues under competent instruction in an atmosphere free from bias and prejudice.

C. Have free access to all relevant information and materials.

D. Raise questions and form and express their opinions on controversial issues without jeopardizing their relationships with their teachers or the school system.

Materials Selection — 6520

  • Materials should be selected representing diverse points of view on controversial issues, encouraging individual analysis.
  • Use reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids when firsthand examination of materials is not possible.
  • Consider recommendations from faculty, parents, and students.

PROCEDURE FOR CHALLENGED MATERIALS:

The following procedures will be followed when a member of the City School District of New Rochelle community challenges the appropriateness of an item in the collection:

  • The Complainant will be asked to complete a Request for Reconsideration of Materials form. This report will be forwarded to the appropriate Principal(s).
  • Complainant will be provided with a packet containing the District’s instructional goals and objectives, the District’s materials selection policy and the District’s policy on the procedure for challenged materials.
  • A meeting will be scheduled at the building level soon after the receipt of the request. This meeting will include the building Principal, or a designee, the school librarian, and the Complainant. If the complaint concerns a textbook, it may be appropriate to include the teacher using the material in his or her classroom.
  • If the Complainant is unsatisfied with the outcome of the building level meeting, the Request will be forwarded to a library review committee, appointed by the Superintendent of Schools; which will include a district library media specialist, a representative of the district administrative staff, and five members of the district pedagogic staff.
  • A meeting of the library review committee will be scheduled soon after the receipt of the request.
  • Material will be judged by the committee as to its conformance with the criteria for selection listed in this selection policy.
  • The written recommendation of the committee will be forwarded to the Superintendent, who will consider it and render a final decision.
  • The Principal will notify the complainant of the decision. If the work is kept, the complainant shall be given an explanation. If the complaint is valid, the principal will acknowledge it and make recommended changes. If the complainant is still not satisfied, the complainant may ask the Superintendent to present an appeal to the Board of Education, which shall make a final determination of the issue. The Board of Education may seek outside assistance in reaching its decision.

To initiate a complaint, any school community member can fill out the form to request reconsideration of “library material” which would cover textbooks and reading material assigned to students at the classroom level. Any means if you live in New Rochelle or pay school taxes.

The form should be completed to the best of the complainants abilities and sent to the Superintendent who will then assign the complaint to an advisory committee.

Email is best but snail mail works.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero

amarrero@nredlearn.org

City School District of New Rochelle

515 North Avenue

New Rochelle, NY 10801

So, either file a formal complaint or for God’s sake stop whining.