Action | Amendments Regarding Use of Controversial or Sensitive Instructional Materials |
Stage | NOIRA |
Comment Period | Ended on 1/15/2014 |
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Parents already have a say in their children's education. Teachers frequent offer advanced notice, permission slips, and "out-outs" for assigned literature. Parents who support this amendment thinking that it will give them this power do not understand that they already have it. They can choose another novel for their child, and do so regularly. So why do we need an amendment to enforce what is already practiced in our schools? This amendment should be rejected for its opaque use of words such as "controversial" and "sensitive". This is likely to lead to self-censorship in the classroom and library or worse, a state-based mandate on what is and is not acceptable. This proposal is a sure way to lead Virginia away from a dynamic, engaging, 21st learning experience for its students. These choices and conversations should be had on an individual basis in the classroom, between parents and teachers, not by legislators in Richmond.