Board approves wording change to preserve board review of curriculum materials

Committee member moved and the board approved a targeted edit to policy 2A intended to preserve the board’s role in reviewing curriculum-related materials.

The motion, offered by Committee member, proposed two edits: replace the word "authority" with "responsibility" in the policy’s second paragraph, and insert the word "curriculum" before the words "final budget" in the third paragraph so that purchases tied to an approved curriculum would trigger required board review before automatic purchasing. "We could simply say, when the board has approved the curriculum and final budget for the year, then we would trigger the purchase, but it would preserve our right to review it," the movant said.

Opponents and questioners cautioned against wording that might unduly require the board to read and approve large lists of instructional or library materials every year. One board member noted practical constraints, saying "If you get a list of 400 library books, you won't know what those library books are," and argued for an administrative vetting chain from media specialists to principals.

After discussion the motion was seconded and carried by roll-call vote. The chair announced the changes had passed and the board moved on to related policy items.

Context: the edits were proposed in the context of a broader MSBA policy update and referencing existing district policy IF (curriculum development) to avoid unintentionally removing the board’s statutory responsibilities.

Next step: the amended text will be incorporated into policy 2A; the board did not adopt a separate, sweeping review-of-all-materials requirement.