Slide 5 of 11

Here is another example. These three books have a constant drivel of racial slurs, obscenities and profanities. These seven policies would eliminate the use of such language.

By teaching the wrong attitudes and habits these books violate Policies 1710, 2311 and 3200 which tell us that school should help students develop skills and attitudes fundamental to receiving individual satisfaction as responsible, contributing citizens. (See excerpts of District Policies and District Curricula)

But let me zero in on Policy 3220, called Freedom of Expression. The Rules and Regulations of Policy 3220 specifically define prohibited speech. This is a carefully defined legally defended statement of STUDENT use of speech, but note, it emphasizes that instructional materials set the standard for the language students are permitted to use. (See excerpts of District Policies and District Curricula)

It says about obscenities, and I quote: “written material or presentation of an oral speech which is construed to be obscene shall not be permitted. Rules for determining obscenity should be consistent with those as applied to instructional materials.” And I continue to quote, “Obscene material is what the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest; that the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law; ...”

About profanities, I quote: “Material may be considered profane when the language does not meet the standards of professional journalism as evidenced by the daily newspapers commonly distributed in the district. Sanctions may be imposed on a student when he/she engages in offensively ‘lewd and indecent’ speech.”

And about the slurs on other groups of peoples it says: “Publications or oral speeches which advocate racial, religious, or ethnic prejudice or discrimination or seriously disparage particular racial, religious, or ethnic groups are prohibited.”

So when was the last time your read the f-word in our newspaper? You haven’t because it doesn’t happen to be accepted professional journalism. So by the District’s own standards you have put into the classroom textbooks with language you do not permit students to use. If the name calling, racial slurs contained in these books were heard in the halls or if a student were to quote his own text aloud, you would have reason to suspend that student from school. According to the District’s own definitions of obscenity, profanity and racial slurs, these books are not acceptable for use in school.