[CASL-L] New Policy Approval due to Freedom to Read
Jenny Lussier
jlussier at rsd13.org
Tue Jan 6 08:13:19 PST 2026
Hi all - I've thought about that a lot, because a request for
reconsideration could come to almost anyone - librarian, classroom teacher,
secretary, principal, other admin etc. You need a flow chart of sorts, but
really it's about making sure everyone knows what to do.
Here is a DRAFT and I borrowed the language from someone but I think this
might work:
DRAFT: Material Review and Reconsideration Procedure
The Regional School District 13 Board of Education has established the
following procedure for addressing complaints regarding the utilization of
library and other educational materials by individuals with a vested
interest as well as a process for the District to respond to any such
challenges:
*Initial discussion:*
1.
Relevant communications concerning the reconsideration of materials to
any staff member, whether received by phone, letter, or in-person
conversation shall be reported to the building principal.
The Library Media Specialist (LMS) and/or building principal shall have a
discussion with the individual with a vested interest regarding the nature
and circumstances of their objection. In this discussion, the LMS and/or
building principal will listen to the individual with vested interest’s
concern and convey the following information:
a. How and why library materials are selected (include policy #)
b. Discussion of the benefits of the material in question for the student
(if applicable) and a determination if it is an issue with the material
being in the collection
2. If needed, the LMS and individual with a vested interest will work on
alternative selections for the student and find a mutually beneficial
resolution.
If the request for reconsideration results in the individual with a vested
interest requesting that the material be formally reconsidered, then the
following steps will be taken:
Formal Request for Reconsideration
1. Individuals with a vested interest may initiate the review or
reconsideration of any library and other educational materials, display, or
student program by submitting a Request for Reconsideration of Library
Material form (the “Request Form”) to the principal of the school in which
the library and other education materials are being challenged.
Using the Request Form, an individual shall specify which portion or
portions of such material the individual objects to and provide an
explanation of the reasons for such objection. The individual submitting
the Request Form must include the individual’s full legal name, address,
and telephone number. Consideration of requests to reconsider and remove
material, displays, or student programs shall be limited to the
parents/guardians of students currently enrolled in the school.
If the formal request for reconsideration has not been received in writing
by the principal within two (2) weeks, the request shall be considered
closed.
2. Upon receipt, the Principal, or the Principal's designee, shall promptly
forward the Request Form to the Superintendent of Schools or the
Superintendent’s designee for the school district.
3. For each challenged library and other educational material, the
Superintendent, or the Superintendent's designee, shall appoint a review
committee consisting of:
a. The Superintendent, or the Superintendent's designee;
b. the Principal of the school in which the library and other educational
material is being challenged, or the Principal's designee;
c. the Director of curriculum, or a person in an equivalent position;
d. a representative from the local or regional board of education;
e. at least one grade-level-appropriate teacher familiar with the library
material provided the teacher selected is not the individual who submitted
the Request Form;
f. a parent or guardian of a student age thirteen years or younger enrolled
in the school district, provided the parent or guardian selected is not the
individual who submitted the Request Form;
g. a parent or guardian of a student aged fourteen years or older enrolled
in the school district, provided the parent or guardian selected is not the
individual who submitted the Request Form;
h. a certified school librarian employed by such Board or employed by
another board of education in the state.
i. In cases where such form is submitted by a student enrolled in grades
nine to twelve, inclusive, and when appropriate and at the discretion of
the superintendent, a student enrolled in grades nine to twelve, inclusive,
may serve on the review committee if such student did not submit the
reconsideration form, provided the superintendent consults with the
principal of the school involved in such reconsideration request prior to
making this determination whether to include such student on the Review
Committee.
4. The Review Committee shall evaluate the request for reconsideration form
by reading the challenged material in its entirety and evaluating the
challenged material against the school district's Collection Development
and Maintenance Policy.
5. The review committee shall make a written decision on whether to remove
the challenged material not later than sixty school days from the date the
Request Form was received by the principal or their designee. The Review
Committee will provide a copy of the committee's decision and report to the
individual with a vested interest who submitted the form and to the
principal of the school.
6. The individual with a vested interest who submitted the Request Form may
appeal to the Review Committee's decision to the local or regional board of
education for the school district. The Board shall determine whether the
reconsideration process was followed and publish the decision on the school
district's website.
Jenny
On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 10:18 AM Jill Pace <jpace at sharoncenterschool.org>
wrote:
> Hi Jen! Region One adopted three policies in October 2025. They can be
> found here:
>
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vLjl-DcOJIkxo2SCzPzLKpmPF7wSO7GoWbLObZd-43c/edit?tab=t.0
>
> 6161.12 (a)
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gcHsQgS4ot2nlnsKdVSjDAre2ZDnEDgS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112488983925162076904&rtpof=true&sd=true>
>
> Library Material Review and Reconsideration Policy
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gcHsQgS4ot2nlnsKdVSjDAre2ZDnEDgS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112488983925162076904&rtpof=true&sd=true>
>
> 10/6/2025
>
> 6161.13 / 1312.4
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TbVr70mvX80yO2MDfOI_hJ9hhV4LqtwP/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112488983925162076904&rtpof=true&sd=true>
>
> Library Collection Development and Maintenance Policy
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TbVr70mvX80yO2MDfOI_hJ9hhV4LqtwP/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112488983925162076904&rtpof=true&sd=true>
>
> 10/6/2025
>
> 6161.14 / 1312.5
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yDDpS9crCUoTdEpN_9GQYzr3VS1nVdk9/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112488983925162076904&rtpof=true&sd=true>
>
> Library Display and Program Policy
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yDDpS9crCUoTdEpN_9GQYzr3VS1nVdk9/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112488983925162076904&rtpof=true&sd=true>
>
> 10/6/2025
>
> Now that the policies are in place, the LMS team is meeting to work
> through the details of implementation. We are thinking through how to
> ensure that anyone who might be approached with a concern would know what
> to do, and not undermine the policy and process. Happy to chat more if you
> like! - Jill
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM <casl-l-request at mylist.net> wrote:
>
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>> Today's Topics:
>>
>> 1. New Policy Approval due to Freedom to Read (Jen)
>> 2. Re: New Policy Approval due to Freedom to Read (Laura Hedenberg)
>> 3. Book Club and Readers' Advisory workshops with Becky
>> Spratford! (Gail Hurley)
>>
>>
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: Jen <jlarkin24 at gmail.com>
>> To: CASL_L <casl-l at mylist.net>
>> Cc:
>> Bcc:
>> Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2026 08:50:23 -0500
>> Subject: [CASL-L] New Policy Approval due to Freedom to Read
>> Good morning amazing school librarians!
>>
>> After many months of looking at the new law and the model policies given
>> to us through CLC and CASL, I have finished drafting our policy and the
>> board in my district is now ready to have our policy committee take a look
>> at it. Obviously I will be at this meeting to discuss and answer
>> questions.
>>
>> One committee member has already asked for sample policies from other
>> districts. While I know that because of the model policy sent to us from
>> CLC/CASL and the PD sessions and PD on November 11th many of our policies
>> will look almost identical - I'm wondering if anyone else has a finished
>> draft? Or has another district already adopted the new policy? It will
>> just give me evidence that this IS in fact the policy to have moving
>> forward.
>>
>> If anyone is willing to answer me separately, share a link to
>> their policy, or let me know where your process is with this, I would
>> greatly appreciate it!
>>
>> Librarians - if you aren't aware of the model policy that was shared out,
>> you should be. It was written with extreme care, to the language of the new
>> law - and really provides us with the exact language needed for policy
>> adoption in our districts.
>>
>> Jen Larkin
>> School Librarian
>> EO Smith High School
>>
>>
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: Laura Hedenberg <lhedenberg at barkhamstedschool.org>
>> To: Jen <jlarkin24 at gmail.com>
>> Cc: CASL_L <casl-l at mylist.net>
>> Bcc:
>> Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2026 09:29:20 -0500
>> Subject: Re: [CASL-L] New Policy Approval due to Freedom to Read
>> Hi Jen,
>> We are in the process of adopting the updated Shipman Policy, which will
>> be added to, not replacing, our current policy.
>> They u[dated the policy after the CABE policy came out in late fall with
>> changes.
>> This keeps us in line with surrounding districts.
>>
>> Laura
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 8:50 AM Jen <jlarkin24 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Good morning amazing school librarians!
>>>
>>> After many months of looking at the new law and the model policies given
>>> to us through CLC and CASL, I have finished drafting our policy and the
>>> board in my district is now ready to have our policy committee take a look
>>> at it. Obviously I will be at this meeting to discuss and answer
>>> questions.
>>>
>>> One committee member has already asked for sample policies from other
>>> districts. While I know that because of the model policy sent to us from
>>> CLC/CASL and the PD sessions and PD on November 11th many of our policies
>>> will look almost identical - I'm wondering if anyone else has a finished
>>> draft? Or has another district already adopted the new policy? It will
>>> just give me evidence that this IS in fact the policy to have moving
>>> forward.
>>>
>>> If anyone is willing to answer me separately, share a link to
>>> their policy, or let me know where your process is with this, I would
>>> greatly appreciate it!
>>>
>>> Librarians - if you aren't aware of the model policy that was shared
>>> out, you should be. It was written with extreme care, to the language of
>>> the new law - and really provides us with the exact language needed for
>>> policy adoption in our districts.
>>>
>>> Jen Larkin
>>> School Librarian
>>> EO Smith High School
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> CASL-L mailing list
>>> CASL-L at mylist.net
>>> https://mylist.net/listinfo/casl-l
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Laura Hedenberg
>> *Library Media Specialist*
>> *Barkhamsted School*
>> *"By not running from the books that pain us, we can allow them to
>> transform us." Dr. Ibram X. Kendi*
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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--
(she/her/hers)
ALA/AASL, ISTE, CASL, CSTA member
CASL Immediate Past-President
FB: @mrslussierslibrary, Twitter: @jluss, Instagram: mrslussierlibrary
-----
Jenny Lussier
Library Media Specialist
Brewster Elementary School
jlussier at rsd13.org
Visit us at: Brewster website <http://brewster.rsd13ct.org>
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