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.

A complainant shall make any formal objection to an instructional resource on the form provided by the principal or designee. You can also download the form here. After completing and signing the form, the complainant shall submit the form to the RISD Administration Building. Upon receipt of the request, the Library and Information Technology Director shall appoint a reconsideration committee.
The reconsideration committee shall be an uneven number and include one building administrator, a teacher, two parents, and a Library & Information Technology Educator. If desired, another representative, such as District-level staff, secondary-level students, and campus staff may serve on the committee. Secondary-level students, parents/guardians, and teachers shall be selected from the Reconsideration Committee Pool.

Within 10 business days of appointment of the committee the District shall provide members of the committee the relevant materials to review. If additional time is required to obtain and distribute the materials for review, all members shall be informed that a reasonable extension of time is needed.

All members of the reconsideration committee shall view the challenged material in its entirety. The committee shall meet promptly and determine whether the challenged material conforms to the principles of selection set forth in the Board Policy EFB(LOCAL) and whether the material will continue to be available in the library.

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.