Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Education
 
Board
State Board of Education
 
chapter
Regulations Governing Local School Boards and School Divisions [8 VAC 20 ‑ 720]
Action Amendments Regarding Use of Controversial or Sensitive Instructional Materials
Stage NOIRA
Comment Period Ended on 1/15/2014
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1/14/14  8:46 am
Commenter: Sara Grube, Librarian, Chesterfield County Schools

I oppose this amendment because it is opening a can of worms
 

While I understand that to parents, this may sound like a simple request, in practice, this amendment is a nightmare. "Sensitive" material is a very subjective definition, one that different from person to person and parent to parent.  Teachers can and should let parents know of the title of the book to be taught, but it should be up to the PARENT to decide whether or not the book is sensitive or controversial and opt the child out. It should not be up to the teacher to point out page by page what items may or may not be controversial to some people-- and again, it's subjective.  One parent could object to The Cat in the Hat because it features a talking animal.  Another could object to The Odyssey because Homer references monsters and mythology.  Are teachers going to be required to mention such items?  How would this affect school libraries?  This is opening a can of worms that the state does not need. 

 If parents feel that they are going to potentially object to material being taught, then they should read it, research it, and make that decision - or home school their children.  

CommentID: 30364