Request for Reconsideration
Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials
Pursuant to Florida statute and board policy, Leon County Schools has established a process by which the parent of a public school student or a resident of the county may contest the District’s adoption of a specific instructional material.
The parent or resident must file a petition, on the form provided below, within 30 calendar days after the adoption of the material by the Board. The form must be signed by the parent or resident, include the required contact information, and state the objection to the instructional material based on the criteria of s.1006.31(2) or s.1006.40(3)(d).
Within 30 days after the 30-day period has expired, the Board will, for all petitions timely received, conduct at least one open public hearing before an unbiased and qualified hearing officer as outlined in policy 2520.
The hearing officer will submit a recommended order to the Board. The Board will consider the recommended order from the hearing officer and enter a final order at a public meeting. The Board’s decision is final and not subject to further review.
Parents and residents of the county may object to the use of a specific instructional material in the classroom, made available in a school or classroom library, or included on a reading list, based on the criteria set forth in F.S. 1006.28(2) (a)2. or F.S. 1014.05(1)(c). A resident of the county who is not the parent or guardian of a student with access to School District materials may not object to more than one (1) material per month in accordance with State Board rules.
The District's process and Specific Material Objection Form, which are easy to read and understand, are accessible on the homepage of the District's website in accordance with Rule 6A-7.0714, F.A.C.
Parents and residents of the county must make any such objection to the principal by utilizing the standard objection form adopted by the State Board of Education for the following types of materials:
A. Materials used in a classroom in the district;
B. Materials made available to students; and
C. Materials included on a school or classroom reading list.
LCS Challenged Materials Website List
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LCS Book Review Committee
The Leon County Schools Book Review Committee’s purpose is to thoroughly evaluate and vote on the age-appropriateness, literary merit, and educational value of library books that have been formally challenged by submitting the LCS Specific Material Objection Form.
The review process involves several key components:
1. Committee Composition
Pursuant LCS po2522.01, the committee is comprised of stakeholders of diverse perspectives such as parents, educators, community members, and certified school library media specialists. This is to ensure evaluations that are fair and free from bias. The committee must consist of an odd number of members and include, but not limited to:
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one (1) or more parents of students who will have access to the materials;
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one (1) or more instructional staff members;
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one (1) or more certified media specialist;
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one (1) or more lay persons knowledgeable in the area.
2. The Evaluation Process
When books are challenged, they may be temporarily removed from circulation while the committees conduct their reviews. The committee members read the flagged materials, discuss their literary merit as a whole (rather than just focusing on isolated passages), and vote on whether the books should be retained in the library or removed.
3. Final Recommendations
The committee's recommendation shall be reported to the Superintendent within thirty (30) business days following the formation of the committee. Upon the approval of the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent of Academic
