Vestavia Hills City Schools

Occasional objections to the books and instructional materials in a library media center may occur despite the quality of the selection process.  The Vestavia Hills City Board of Education endorses the principles of intellectual freedom inherent in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Objections to materials may be expressed through the process outlined below by a parent or guardian of a current student. 

1. The librarian will first have a discussion with the person expressing concern and then explain the selection process and reconsideration procedure.
2. The librarian will request that the person submit the form, “Request for Review of Library Materials.” A separate form should be submitted for each challenge.
3. The librarian will inform the principal, superintendent, and other appropriate personnel of the concern.
4. Upon receipt of the completed form, the principal will acknowledge the concern in writing and will request review of the challenged material by a Materials Review Committee within twenty working days. The committee will consist of parents, teachers, a librarian, and a principal or assistant principal. The Director of Curriculum and Instruction will serve as the nonvoting Chair of the Committee.
5. The challenged material will continue to be available during the review process.
6. The committee will take the following steps to review the challenged material:
   1. Read, view, or listen to the material in its entirety
   2. Check general acceptance of the material by reading reviews and consulting lists
   3. Determine the extent to which the material supports learning
   4. Complete the appropriate form, “Materials Review Committee Checklist,” judging the material for its strength and value as a whole and not in part
7. The recommendation of the review committee will be determined by a majority of the committee voting by secret ballot. If the committee recommends removal of the material, the decision should include the levels from which the material is to be removed (elementary, middle, high).
8. The review committee will present a written recommendation to the principal who will communicate the committee’s decision to the person expressing the concern, the librarians, and to the superintendent.
9. If the person expressing the concern wishes to appeal the decision of the Materials Review Committee, a written request should be submitted to the superintendent within 10 working days of notification of the decision by the review committee.
10. The Vestavia Hills City Schools Board of Education will convene to address the appeal.  The Board will review the material, the “Request for Review of Library Materials” and the recommendation of the review committee.  The decision will be determined by a majority of the Board.
11. The superintendent will communicate the Board’s final decision in writing to the person expressing the concern, the librarian, the principal, and the review committee.
12. The librarian will retain or withdraw the challenged material as recommended by the review committee or, in the case of an appeal, as decided by the Board of Education. Challenged materials cannot be re-challenged for five years.