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Policy IMBB
The curriculum of the school unit is designed to include statutory requirements and other areas of study deemed appropriate by the professional staff and the Board. The curriculum includes topics and materials that are age and ability appropriate to the students.
The Board acknowledges that from time to time individual students may be exposed to some ideas and materials with which they or their parent(s)/legal guardian disagree. Students and their parent(s)/legal guardian cannot be required to adopt ideas with which they disagree, but such disagreement alone is not a sufficient basis to exempt a student from the prescribed curriculum. Exemptions from the required curriculum should be minimized because they can detract from the overall instruction provided to the class as a whole and the educational objectives sought to be achieved by the curriculum.
The Board recognizes, however, that there could be topics in the curriculum which may be objectionable to individual students and/or parent(s)/legal guardian based on their particular, sincerely held religious, moral, or philosophical beliefs. Exemption from instruction which infringes on such beliefs may be requested by the parent(s)/legal guardian.
Requests for exemption from instruction must be made in writing to the building Principal and are subject to the approval of the Principal. The Principal shall notify the Superintendent as soon as practicable of any request for exemption from instruction and of his/her decision. If the Principal denies an exemption request, the parent(s)/legal guardian may appeal to the Superintendent, whose decision shall be final.
In considering requests for exemption, factors that the Principal should consider may include:
Whether the course of instruction is required by state law or school policy;
Whether an exemption will adversely affect the instruction provided to other students;
The educational importance of the material or instruction from which exemption is requested;
Evidence regarding the sincerity of the belief on which the request is based;
Whether the school has a legal obligation to accommodate the exemption request; and
Other factors that bear upon the particular request.
When a student is exempted from a portion of the regular curriculum, the staff will make reasonable efforts, within the scope of existing resources, to accommodate alternative instruction for the student. Alternative instruction may be provided by the school or through approved independent study. Any alternative instruction shall be approved in advance by the Principal in consultation with the classroom teacher, and shall meet the standards and objectives of the part of the curriculum that is being replaced.
Legal Reference: 20-A MRSA § 6209
LD 1536, Chap. 51 Resolves
Chap. 127 and 131 (Me. Dept. of Ed. Rules)
Cross Reference: ADF – School District Commitment to Learning Results IJJ – Instructional and Library Material Selection
IMB – Teaching About Controversial/Sensitive Issues
IMBAA – Alternatives To Biological Dissection
Adopted: July 8, 2002
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