From the proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Education Commission of the States (3rd, Denver, Colorado, July 7-9, 1969).

Written school board policies can demonstrate that boards welcome ideas from the people, that there are proper procedures for getting a hearing on complaints, and that staff and curriculum will be protected from pressure. The sample school board policies, administrative rules, and information statements in this kit are intended to facilitate the…

If we are to expand the degree to which the community supports academic freedom in the public schools, we must begin by providing students in our schools with an opportunity to explore the role of academic freedom in an open society. (Author)

Majority control of schooling undercuts the freedoms of expression and belief which are central to the First Amendment and to the political health of our society. In education, First Amendment rights can only be guaranteed insofar as choice is actually available to dissenting families. However, battles over public orthodoxy are observable in…

Recommends the following considerations for teachers who must cope with censorship in public schools: (1) clarify professional role, (2) keep community aware of curricular goals and content, (3) develop clear selection policies for materials and rationales for using controversial materials, (4) handle complaints with carefully constructed…