Recently, we have seen a vigorous debate and considerable media coverage regarding literature selection at Highland Park High School. On behalf of all of us in Highland Park ISD, we thank you for caring so passionately about the education of your children. One of the hallmarks of our district is parental involvement, and your engagement and partnership are valuable to us.
We want to acknowledge the controversy that has been building around the literature selection process and to also acknowledge that it is a topic worthy of informed discussion and careful consideration. As you would expect, the opinions are wide-ranging, and the goal of reaching consensus will require effort and understanding.
Over the past few weeks, we've received many questions about literature selections, and we want to share the answers and facts with our entire school community and the public:
Q: How is literature selected for classroom use?
A: For about two decades, HPHS English Department faculty members have worked with parents to compile a list of books ranging from the ancient work of the Greek poet Homer to the work of contemporary authors, such as Malcolm Gladwell. Since 2005, the process has become more formal, with the establishment of parent-teacher literature review committees. When new books are proposed for use in the classroom, the committees read the literature and produce a written rationale that details the instructional merits of the work. The rationale report also lists any potentially controversial content.
Q: What titles are on the approved book list?
A: Here is a link to the list , which includes books that are:
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Required reading (studied and discussed in the classroom)
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Recommended outside reading (summer and supplemental reading lists from which students may select a title)
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Supplementary materials (excerpts from larger works, short stories or poems, which are selected to extend students' understanding of the elements of the required reading).
The list, which contains more than 200 titles, is a resource for teachers to use when selecting literature for instruction. Not all the titles in the list are being currently used.
Q: Do Highland Park High School students still read classics and other long-recognized works of literature?
A: Absolutely. Our faculty is committed to teaching the classics, along with contemporary work. The goal is for students to study ongoing themes that span many centuries of literature. Click here to view a list of all the pieces of literature currently being used in HPHS English classes.
Q: What steps has the district taken to make this process more transparent and to support the informed choice of parents?
A: In effort to be transparent and to provide parents with more information, the following steps have been taken:
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Approved book list: The approved book list, which was previously an internal resource for teachers to use when deciding what literature to use in the classroom, has been published online.
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Rationales (reports that list the merits and potentially controversial content of literature): We have been working to retrieve, scan and post all the rationale reports that exist. Because the formal introduction of text rationales has only been in place for approximately 10 years, not all the works have rationales, especially some of the long-accepted classics. Examples of classic works that do not have rationales include All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and The Tempest by William Shakespeare.
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Book list audit and update: This summer, we audited the book list to make updates and corrections. The decision was made to remove Nineteen Minutes. We also discovered that The Perks of Being a Wallflower had not been reviewed and therefore decided that it would not be taught.
Q: Have any challenges been withdrawn?
A: Yes. Today, the individual who was challenging The Glass Castle withdrew the challenge, so we will continue to use the book.
Q: What books have been temporarily suspended from use?
A: The titles below were brought into question, and, although only two of them are currently being taught, they are all being suspended from use, pending review by reconsideration committees.
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
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An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
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The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein
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Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse
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Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison
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The Working Poor: Invisible In America - David K. Shipler
Q: Why were the books temporarily suspended?
A: The debate had become very heated, and it was highly disruptive to our work at the high school and the district. The goal behind the decision was to de-escalate the conflict and to create some space for dialogue.
Q: Have there been any changes?
A: Yes. Today, the individual who was challenging The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls withdrew the challenge, so we will continue to use the book.
Q: What is the immediate effect on students and teachers?
A: Only two of the books that were suspended (excluding The Glass Castle, which is no longer being challenged) were scheduled for use this school year. The four remaining books are not being taught. So, although the challenges to those four have no immediate effect on instruction, we will appoint reconsideration committees to review the books this school year.
The Art of Racing in the Rain was slated for use this semester, and three classes (63 students) had started studying the book. The unit covered the concept of a unique point of view (The Art of Racing in the Rain is narrated by a dog). The students had read more than half of the book, and they were able to complete their assignment, which required them to narrate from a unique viewpoint, such as an animal or inanimate object. The students turned in their work and went on to the next study units, which include the study of What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell and The Allegory of the Cave by Plato. We appreciate the flexibility on the part of the faculty members and students who were affected.
The Working Poor: Invisible in America is scheduled for use in the spring. It is our goal to have completed the reconsideration process by then so that valuable instructional time is not interrupted.
Q: How will parents know what their children are reading?
A: All works are listed in course overview and syllabi, which are posted online. In addition, some titles that contain material that some parents might find unsuitable for children require parent permission forms. Alternative texts are available upon parent request.
Q: What is the policy and process for challenging books?
A: A parent, employee or any district resident may formally challenge an instructional resource on the basis of appropriateness. The formal reconsideration process, including the formation of a reconsideration committee, is detailed in Local Policy EFA.
The corresponding exhibit includes the one-page request for reconsideration of instructional materials form . This form must be filled out and delivered to HPISD Director of Assessment and Language Arts and Reading Coordinator Dr. Denise Beutel to start the reconsideration process.
Q: Who will review the challenged books?
A: The challenged books will be reviewed by the reconsideration committees, which will be appointed by campus and district administrators. We are committed to appointing committee members who represent a variety of viewpoints. We anticipate approximately 10 members per committee with representatives including parents, faculty and staff and counselors. We are encouraged to see that several students are interested in serving, and we plan to include them on committees, as well.
Q: What are the possible outcomes?
A: There are three possible outcomes, based on the recommendation of reconsideration committees:
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A book may be recommend for unrestricted classroom use
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A book may be recommended for restricted classroom use (based on course level)
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A book may be removed from the approved list
Q: What is the timeline?
A: We expect the two books that are scheduled for classroom use to be reviewed by the end of the fall semester. We will also put together committees to review the four remaining books by the end of the school year.
In conclusion, we thank you for taking the time to learn more about how we make decisions about the books our students study. Our intention is always to select high quality, engaging literature. This is a complex and challenging issue, and we are committed to doing the work to make informed and collaborative decisions with all of our students in mind.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dawson Orr
Highland Park ISD Superintendent
Walter Kelly
Highland Park High School Principal
