Board approves two supplemental novels with instructional safeguards

The Ventura Unified School District board voted Aug. 27 to make two supplemental novels available to teachers after committee review and consultation with the district’s antibias work group and parent advisory groups.

Sarah Gluck Perez, teacher on special assignment who leads the review committee, presented the committee’s recommendations. The first recommendation was to add the graphic-novel version of March for English-language arts and history courses in grades 8–12. The second recommendation was to add The Nickel Boys (Pulitzer Prize–winning novel) for grades 10–12 subject to instructional parameters and use of study guides.

Gluck Perez said the review process includes input from the district’s antibias/anti-racist work group and the African-American parent council, and emphasized that these novels are not required reading; rather, they will be available to teachers who choose to adopt them. She described an internal rubric used to evaluate texts and said study guides and professional resources are available to teachers on the district’s antibias website.

Trustees asked clarifying questions about why the John Lewis graphic series was limited to the first volume and about the meaning of the instructional stipulation for The Nickel Boys. The committee responded that the graphic novel version of March was brought forward first by teachers and that the stipulation for The Nickel Boys encourages teachers to consult the adopted curriculum study guides and planned instructional supports before teaching the novel.

The board approved the committee recommendations by roll-call vote, 3–0, and staff noted that purchase or classroom use would follow standard site and district processes for curriculum materials.

Trustees and staff said they would continue to monitor teacher preparation and community feedback as teachers choose to adopt the novels.