While instructional materials and library books are both considered instructional resources, they are not the same and the terms should not be used interchangeably. 

Instructional materials are used in the classroom and must align with and support the TEKS, while library materials are for voluntary inquiry. 

Since school and classroom libraries are viewed as places for voluntary inquiry, library books are treated differently from instructional materials used in classroom instruction.

RISD LITEs select library books guided by RISD Board Policy; RISD Library Book Selection Criteria; published professional reviews and knowledge of how materials would fit into the current collection. Materials considered for purchase must be favorably reviewed in at least two professional review journals (i.e., Booklist, School Library Journal, etc.), and the reviews must include at least one grade level served by the purchasing campus.

Please contact your school’s LITE and/or principal to express your concerns. They will explain the rationale for the use of the material and may offer another resource to be used in place of the challenged material. If you wish to formally challenge the resource the principal will provide you with the Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials form.

If an employee, a parent or guardian of a District student, or a District resident wishes to challenge library material, they shall follow the procedures to complete and submit the RISD Library Materials Challenge form.

No later than the fifth day after the date on which a school district receives a written challenge, the district will provide a copy of the challenge to the SLAC. In addition to copies of the completed form being provided to the members of the SLAC in accordance with law, copies shall also be provided to the Board, the Superintendent, the Library and Information Technology Educator, and any other staff designated in administrative procedures.

The SLAC shall consider the challenge in accordance with Board-adopted procedures and in accordance with law and shall make a recommendation to the Board no later than the 90th day after the date on which the council receives the copy. Any meetings of the SLAC or a review committee must comply with the meeting requirements under Education Code §33.024(g) and (h).

The Superintendent, the Library and Information Technology Educator, the individual submitting the challenge, and any other appropriate staff shall receive a copy of the SLAC’s recommendation.

The Board of Trustees shall take action at the first open meeting held after the SLAC has made a recommendation regarding the challenge.

Once a resource has been made available in a school library, removal of the resource implicates students’ First Amendment rights. While the school district and librarian have discretion on which books it brings into its library, once a book is in the library, there are legal limits on what can be removed.

You will need to complete the Opt-In form in the Focus Parent Portal. After you complete the form, you will receive an email with instructions on how to login in to your Guardian account and create a Prohibited List. If you do not receive an email, please contact Alejandra Isais, Library and Information Technology Director, at alejandra.isais@risd.org