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Board approves amendment to Policy 3.61 after debate over role of teacher review committee
Summary
The Catawba County Board of Education voted to remove two sentences from Policy 3.61 and its administrative procedure after a lengthy discussion about whether the teacher review committee or the elected board should have the final say on challenged instructional materials.
The Catawba County Board of Education approved amendments to Policy 3.61 (Parental inspection and objection to instructional materials) and its administrative procedure after an extended debate over who should have final decision-making authority on challenged instructional or media materials.
Crystal Davis, who presented the proposed changes, told the board: "I am requesting that the Board act on whether or not to remove the second sentence ... in the fourth paragraph in the proposed the policy 3.61" and asked that a sentence in item 1.c of the administrative procedure be removed in its entirety.
Board members spent more than 25 minutes debating the change. Several members argued that removing the sentences would reduce the decision-making authority of the district committee that reviews instructional and media materials; others said elected board members should retain final authority and that a majority vote should decide appeals rather than a requirement of unanimity.
One board member noted that policy 3.611 assigns decision-making authority to instructional personnel and expressed concern that removing the language in 3.61 would conflict with that policy. Another board member said the change would make the board the final decision maker and argued that a majority vote by the elected board better reflects accountability to constituents.
After discussion and motions, the board approved the presented edits to Policy 3.61 and the administrative procedure. The motion carried by show of hands; the meeting chair stated the approval was unanimous.
Board members did not specify a roll-call tally in the meeting transcript. The record shows a formal motion, a second, and a vote by raised hands with the chair announcing the result.
The approved edits remove (1) the second sentence in the fourth paragraph of Policy 3.61 (text not reproduced in the agenda packet as read aloud) and (2) the third sentence of item 1.c in the related administrative procedure, per the presenter’s request.
