Slide 3 of 11

Clear sighted staff who are willing to question the use of offensive material in the classroom are essential as building blocks upon a firm foundation. We have a firm foundation, as is evidenced by our policies. But if our curricula does not support our policies -- our entire system is weakened.

You have before you 11 pages of reasons we object to these specific books as adopted texts. We will not spend your time being repetitious - instead we will demonstrate the lack of congruity between curricula and these books, and show you how district policy is violated when any of these seven books are used.

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It is my intent to demonstrate that this issue is bigger than a few English teachers picking out the books they want to give their students to read. It is an issue of the District having standards and having the integrity to live up to the promises it makes to the public. The Literature Curriculum needs to be brought into compliance with District and State standards.

As part of your handouts there is a summary of the District Policies and District Curricula which are violated by the reading list of the Secondary Literature Curriculum. I have included only the shortest of quotes from each policy or curriculum to illustrate how these seven books violate the policies and curricula to which I will be referring. (See excerpts of District Policies and District Curricula)