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Davis school board approves 'The Fault in Our Stars' for grades 10+, debates parental notice practice
Summary
After discussion about parental notifications, the Davis School District Board approved instructional materials that include The Fault in Our Stars for grades 10 and above. Board members diverged on whether teachers should be required to send separate parent notices beyond standard syllabi.
The Davis County School District Board of Education voted to approve instructional material that includes the novel The Fault in Our Stars for students in grades 10 and above after a lengthy discussion about parental notification.
Miss Powell, a board member, urged clearer parent notification, saying that parents could be surprised if teachers did not alert families directly: "If a parent sees the kid come home with this book, read it, and... they might know. There is some... risky content in there," she said, arguing a short teacher email about the upcoming unit would reduce surprises and requests for alternatives.
Several board members cautioned that requiring a formal board directive for individual teacher notices would amount to micromanaging classroom practice. "If we require this, then we're micromanaging," said Miss Price, adding that many teachers already list materials in syllabi or send initial emails about reading lists.
TJ Strain, who described the book-review committee, said the committee is composed mainly of teachers with some parents and that committee notes often recommend teacher-level practices such as a disclosure statement or a targeted email. "They do a really try to check themselves and see where they're coming from," Strain said of the committee's deliberations.
Another board member clarified the district's standards for instructional materials on the record. "There are no sensitive materials in the book," a board member stated during discussion, meaning the content would not meet the district's threshold to prohibit classroom use.
Miss Barber moved to approve the instructional-materials item; Miss Price seconded. The board approved the item on a voice vote.
The board did not adopt a formal, board-wide requirement that teachers send individualized emails home for every secondary literature selection; trustees expressed a preference that teachers follow common disclosure practices and use syllabi, while supporting teachers' discretion to notify parents directly when they judge it appropriate.
