SERIES 1000 Community Relations
1312.3 Library Material Review and Reconsideration Policy
P6161.12(a)
1312.3
Instruction/Community Relations
Library Material Review and Reconsideration Policy
Statement of Policy:
The Thomaston Board of Education understands that, on occasion, a member of the public will wish to lodge a complaint against material available in the school library/media center. Consideration of requests to reconsider and remove material, displays, or student programs is limited to individuals with a vested interest. An individual with vested interest may challenge any library and other educational materials, display or student program by initiating a review of such material via the submission of a request for reconsideration form.
It shall be the policy of the Thomaston Board of Education that the removal, exclusion or censoring of any book shall not occur on the sole basis that a person with a vested interest finds such book offensive. No library and other educational material, display, or program shall be removed from library media centers, or programs be canceled, because of the origin, background, or viewpoints expressed in such material, display, or program, or because of the origin, background, or viewpoints of the creator of such material, display, or program. Library and other educational materials, displays, and student programs shall only be excluded for legitimate pedagogical purposes or for professionally accepted standards of collection maintenance practices as adopted in the collection development and maintenance policy or the display and program policy.
Until a final decision is made by the review committee, any library and other educational materials being challenged shall remain available in the school library media center according to their catalog records and be available for students to reserve, check out, or access.
A school district may consolidate any requests for review and reconsideration of the same challenged library and other educational material. Once a decision has been made by the review committee regarding any library or other educational material, that material cannot be subject to a new request for review and reconsideration for a period of three years.
Through this policy, the Board of Education ensures that all library materials shall be evaluated and made accessible in accordance with the protections against discrimination set forth in section 10-15c of the general statutes, including, but not limited to, discrimination based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability. The Board shall review and update this policy as necessary every five years.
Definitions
"Library and other educational material" means any material belonging to, on loan to or otherwise in the custody of a school library media center, including, but not limited to, nonfiction and fiction books, magazines, reference books, supplementary titles, multimedia and digital material, software, and other material not required as part of classroom instruction.
P6161.12(b)
1312.3
Instruction/Community Relations
Library Material Review and Reconsideration Policy
Definitions (continued)
"School library staff member" means a school library media specialist, school librarian, any certified or non-certificated staff member whose assignment is in the school library or any individual carrying out or assisting with the functions of a school library media specialist or school librarian.
"Individual with a vested interest"
means
any school staff member employed by a local or regional board of education, parent or guardian of a student currently enrolled in a school at the time a reconsideration form is filed, or
any student currently enrolled in a school at the time a reconsideration form is filed.
"Remove"
means deliberately taking library material out of a library's collection. "Remove" does not include the process of clearing such collection of any materials that are no longer useful.
Material Review and Reconsideration Procedure
The Board of Education has established the following procedure for addressing complaints regarding the utilization of library and other educational materials:
- 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 recommendation form to the principal of the school in which the library and other education materials are being challenged.
- The principal, or the principal's designee, shall promptly forward the request for reconsideration to the Superintendent of Schools for the school district.
- The Superintendent, or the Superintendent's designee, shall appoint a review committee consisting of:
- The Superintendent, or the Superintendent's designee;
- the principal of the school in which the library and other educational material is being challenged, or the principal's designee;
- the Director of curriculum, or a person in an equivalent position;
- a representative from the local or regional board of education;
- at least one grade-level-appropriate teacher familiar with the library material provided, the teacher selected is not the individual who submitted the form;
- 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 form;
- 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 form;
- a certified school librarian employed by such board or employed by another board of education in the state.
P6161.12(c)
1312.3
Instruction/Community Relations
Library Material Review and Reconsideration Policy
Material Review and Reconsideration Procedure (continued)
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 within sixty school days from the date of receiving such request and 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 for reconsideration 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.
General Provisions
Any school library media specialist or school library staff member who, in good faith, implements the policies described in this section shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed and shall have the same immunity with respect to any judicial proceeding that results from such implementation.
Legal Reference: Public Act 25-168 An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2027, and Making Appropriations Therefore, and Provisions Related to Revenue and Other Items Implementing the State Budget
Connecticut General Statutes
Section 10-15c Discrimination in public schools prohibited
Policy adopted: May 11, 2026 THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS THOMASTON, CONNECTICUT
6161.12
1312.3
Form 1
(Name of District)
Request for Reconsideration of Library Books/Materials
Title ________________________________________________________________________
Author __________________________________________ Publisher _____________________
This request was initiated by:
☐ Parent/Guardian
☐ Student
☐ Other (please specify) ___________________________________
The material is best described as a:
☐ Book
☐ Video or Online Content
☐ Periodical/Magazine
☐ Other Media. Please specify ____________________________________________________
Please answer the following questions:
- Did you read, view, or listen to the entire work? If not, what parts did you examine?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. In what specific ways do you think this work is inappropriate for students?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What have you been told about the educational purpose of this material?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6161.12
1312.3
Form 1
(continued)
4. What do you believe is the theme or purpose of this material?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. For what age group would you recommend this material?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Are you aware of the judgment of this work by literary critics and/or professional educators/organizations?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. What are the valuable aspects of this material?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. What do you feel may be the results of students reading, listening to, or viewing this material?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. What work/material of equal or superior value would you recommend replacing the one in question?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Please explain your reasons for your objection:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________ ________________________
Signature of Complainant Date
6161.12
1312.3
Form 2
THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
THOMASTON, CONNECTICUT
Request for Appeal of Reconsideration of Library and Other Educational Materials Decision
Full Legal Name: _________________________ Title of Material:_____________________
Address: _____________________________ Telephone Number: __________________
Author:_________________________________ Publisher: __________________________
Date the Reconsideration Decision was communicated to you: ________________________
Please explain why you are appealing against this decision:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How do you believe the review committee failed to follow the reconsideration process?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Are you submitting any documentation with this appeal? If so, please list/describe supporting documents:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Thomaston Board of Education shall determine whether the reconsideration process was followed and will publish the decision on the internet web site of the school district.
6161.12
1312.3
Complainant
Letter
THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
THOMASTON, CONNECTICUT
Sample Letter to Complainant
Date: _____________
Complainant Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
Dear [Complainant’s Name],
Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding one of our school’s library materials to our attention. In accordance with Connecticut state law, our school has a procedure in place to adjudicate concerns and reconsideration requests.
To facilitate this review, we kindly request that you submit a Request for Reconsideration of Library Books and Materials form to clearly identify the specific content you find objectionable and describe the nature of your concerns. Once your submission is received, it will be forwarded to the District Library Review Committee for formal consideration. The Committee’s review process includes thoroughly reviewing the material, assessing its educational value, and addressing all concerns raised.
If you have any questions or need assistance with this process, please don't hesitate to contact me at [phone number or email address].
Thank you for engaging with us to support a thoughtful and responsible approach to creating libraries that meet the needs of all students.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your “Vested Interest” Identity]