All books used in Montgomery County Schools, whether they are placed in the library as free reading material or as used as part of the curriculum, must undergo an evaluation and assessment. MCPS utilizes Regulation IIB-RA to outline how this process takes place. In short, this is how the process takes place:
A teacher, media specialist, or member of the public can submit a title for review. If being submitted by the public, MCPS asks for a copy of the book to be provided.
MCPS then convenes a panel of school based and central office staff to review the book. For the review, the panel advises if the book should be “recommended” for use, at which point a media specialist at any of the MCPS school can purchase and stock the book.
In conducting the review, the panel completes MCPS Form 365-25. This form asks the panel to provide information to describe how the materials are essential to student learning. Specifically, 1) Direct support of content standards, 2) Authenticity of material, 3) Impact on instructional time, 4) Clarity or ease of understanding, and 5) Strengths/weaknesses and areas of concern.
Sounds legit right? Well the issue arises in that there are no objective criteria within each of these sections. What one panel might find to be “easy to understand” another panel might “have concerns with the complexity of the language”. This gets even more subjective when assessing the strengths and weaknesses and opens the door for extreme bias and prejudice. It also opens the door for insider-activism, a group of school officials that push through books on a particular topic or who might have certain political or cultural beliefs.
In looking through hundreds of reviews, it is impossible to find a standard that has been applied consistently. And for many books, this is probably a harmless situation. A book on computer science or a book on geology leave little to no room for bias and agenda. They are actual educational resources. However, with the recent emphasis on LGQBT+ books and curriculum within MCPS, the lack of clear standards results in a few people’s personal beliefs, thoughts, or choices to become the basis for exposing all MCPS students to a topic and subject matter. Below are some examples.
In fact, I have been unable to find a LGQBT+ themed book for any grade level that has not received a “recommended” rating. Books that depict oral sex with a strap on? Approved. Books that teach a pre-k about drag queens? Approved. Books that challenge your first grader to pick a pronoun? Approved.
What has become interesting over the last couple weeks is we did find a book that received a “Marginal” rating with a very interesting analysis. The book was Thomas Sowell: A self made man.
In the review, the book received a marginal rating because “The publisher has a stated mission of creating books with “the American values that made this country great.”
So matter of fact descriptions of using a sex toy are enlightening, but a book that focuses on American values is just too dangerous to recommend?
If you are interested in looking up the books your children bring home, you can do so via The Database of Accountable Evaluations. You can visit our resource center for how to file an MPIA with MCPS to receive more information on a particular book.
