Code: INB
Adopted: 8/08/17

The Board supports the inclusion of controversial issues as part of students’ education. The presentation and discussion of controversial issues will be informative. The development of the ability to meet issues without prejudice and to withhold judgments while facts are being collected, assembled and weighed and to see relationships before drawing inferences or conclusions are among the most valuable outcomes of a free educational system. 

Teachers will present all sides of controversial issues and will assure that students have an opportunity to: 

1. Find, collect and assemble factual material on the subject; 
2. Interpret the data without prejudice; 
3. Reconsider assumptions and claims and to reach their own conclusions. 

The teacher shall avoid indoctrination in his/her own personal viewpoint and shall not attempt to control or limit the judgment of students. The selection of materials, guest speakers and classroom activities in general shall be done with studied impartiality for the purpose of fairly presenting all sides of an issue. 

Before launching a class in the study of an obviously controversial topic, a teacher will discuss with the administrator: (1) its appropriateness to the course; (2) its appropriateness for the students’ maturity level; (3) the approach to instruction; (4) the instructional materials to be used. 

END OF POLICY 

Legal Reference(s): 

• ORS 334.125(7)
  
• ORS 336.067
  
• OAR 581-022-1020 
• U.S. CONST. amend. I. 
• OR. CONST., art. I. 

Cross Reference(s): 

• GBG - Staff Participation in Political Activities
• IB - Freedom of Expression
• IICB - Community Resource Persons