Library Acquisitions
Sherman ISD is committed to providing quality educational resources to engage students.
Instructional resources are educational aids or materials intended to be used by all students for instructional purposes. Sherman ISD provides a wide range of instructional resources for students and faculty that present varying levels of difficulty, diversity of appeal, and a variety of points of view to enrich and support the educational program.
These resources may include textbooks, supplementary materials for classroom use, including digital resources, used for formal or informal teaching and learning purposes. Books and other resources are also made available to students through campus or classroom libraries. Library books are intended for voluntary use by students as they self-select independent reading materials, and are not intended to be the primary source of instruction.
Parent Choice
Parents have the right to review teaching materials, textbooks, and other teaching aids and instructional materials used in the curriculum and available at SISD schools. Sherman ISD recognizes that a student's parent/guardian has the final decision on the materials/library books an individual student uses and reads. However, the wishes of one child's parent/guardian to restrict the reading or viewing of a particular item may infringe on another parent/guardian's rights to permit their child to read or view the same material. Additionally, the diverse needs of students are considered when materials are being selected, with an emphasis on ensuring that materials are free from bias and address student needs concerning equity, race, poverty, gender communities, mental health, language, and technology.
Not every selection is relevant for all readers. All Sherman ISD students are instructed by teachers and librarians that if they choose a book that makes them uncomfortable, they should return it and make another selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between a library book and an instructional resource?
- How are library books chosen?
- What is a classroom library?
- Who may challenge a book or instructional resource?
- Does a challenge have to go through a formal reconsideration committee?
- Can a formal challenge be appealed if the challenger doesn’t like the decision of the committee?
- How does formal reconsideration of a book or instructional material work?
- When a parent/staff member challenges a book, how does the committee get a copy of the book?
- When a book is challenged, does the committee read the book?
- Why does the Challenge Committee need to read the entire book if we can identify inappropriate material on a particular page?
- How is “pervasively vulgar" defined?
- Why can’t the district just remove library books that have been pointed out as objectionable?
- What does the formal reconsideration committee consider when coming to a decision?