The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-04-05, Page 7You choose'em. you ''efend'em
Teachers will fiel
BY JEFF SEDDON
If teachers in Huron
county want to use
controversial material in
classrooms they better be
prepared to fight for it.
The Huron county
board of education
agreed in principle
Monday to a policy that
will make teachers,
department heads and
principals responsible for
handling complaints and
criticisms of material
used in county
classrooms.
The endorsement of the
policy was given after
director of education
John Cochrane gave the
board an example of a
policy designed to handle
complaints. Cochrane
told the board he had
drafted a policy to be
presented to the board
and had taken it to
teachers and department
heads for their com-
ments. He said the
teachers agreed with the
intent of the policy but
felt that some changes
should be made in the
director's mode1 ,before
the policy was adopted.
m The director said
teachers had some
',housekeeping
suggestions' for the
policy to clear up vague
areas. He said he hoped
to have the changes made
for the May board
meeting but wanted the
board to give some in-
dication if it supported
k ccs
the idea of putting
teachers. in charge of
defending material they
use.
"Which route does the
board want to take?"
Cochrane asked. "Do you
want complaints to go
back to the source or do
you want to deal with
them right off the top?"
The policy is aimed at
preventing further
headaches for trustees
trying to defend
classroom material the
board approved for use.
Under the present system
teachers recommend
material to department
heads, department heads
and principals send that
recommendation on to
the board and the board
approves it for use. In
many cases the board
takes the teacher's word
that the material is
suitable and does not
screen it.
Cochrane indicated
that the policy should
help to prevent problems
the hoard had over
English literature novels
used in the county. The
novels that came under
fire, The Diviners by
Margaret Laurence,
Catcher in the Rye by
J.D. Salinger and Of Mice
and Men by John
GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1979—PAGE 7
pi inti fro
Steinbeck, stirred a
controversy in the county
that is still a thorn in the
hoard's side.
Cochrane's suggestion
would require a parent or
ratepayer with a com-
plaint about classroom
material to take that
complaint to the school
their child attends. The
complaint would be
handled by the teacher,
department head and
principal of the school. If
no suitable arrangement
can he worked out the
matter would be sent to
the board to be handled
discreetly. Cochrane said
he hoped the policy would
enable individual con-
cerns of ratepayers to
stay low key and not
become county wide
i5SU1's.
Seafonth trustee John
Henderson said the
system of approving
material for classroom
use had been taken away
from trustees. He said it
seems "trustees don't
have anything to say
anymore" pointing out
that books that come to
the hoard for approval
get there a month before
school starts. He said the
board has little op-
portunity to make any
changes in the list of
approved materials.
Board chairman John
Elliott explained that the
material for classroom
use is sent to a committee
of the' board and that
committee makes
recommendations to the
board. He said approvals
have' to he made by the
whole. board giving all
trustees a chance to
comment.
Goderich trustee Dave
-Gower said he had not
had an opportunity to
the pu
study the implications of
the policy and asked it -be
tabled. He said he had not
received the material
provided on the policy
until just before meeting
time and had not had an
opportunity to study it.
He said he felt the
decision. was important
enough to have all
problems trustees had
Clurifuid.
Gower said one
problem he had was
understanding what
lie
materials the board
approves and what is
approved by the ministry
of education.
Cochrane said the
ministry approves tex-
tbooks in subjects like
mathematics, science
and history leaving
decisions, on English
literature novels up to
individual' boards. He
pointed out that material
the ministry approves "is
usually not , too con-
troversial".
Letters to the Editor
The Editor, '
The citizens of Rainy
River extend a friendly
invitation to all former
residents to join them for
their 75th anniversary
celebration and
homecoming days,
August 3 to 6.
This . celebration will
feature a parade, ball
games, a craft show, golf
tournament, Armed
Forces day, dances,
school reunion and many
m ore events too
numerous to mention.
It will he a time of
family gatherings and
meeting old f'riends and
former classmates.
ancoo
If any readers of this
paper have lived or at-
tended school in Rainy
River or if you know of
any classmates 'riving in
your area, send names
to: M. E. Alice Brunn, Co-
ordinator, Rainy River,
5th Anniversary Comm.,
Box 220, Rainy River,
Ontario POW 1LO.
M. E. Brum
Customary
Dear Editor,
"I Declare" provides
some basic facts in-
ternational travellers
should know before
leaving Canada. This
publication is available
for the asking at most
travel agencies and
airlines, through our
regional office or by
writing to us.
As well, some of the
questions found in
"Customs Quiz" could
present an interesting
challenge to your
readers.
We believe this in-
formation would greatly
reduce personal in-
convenience and dif-
ficulties which travellers
may sometimes incur
when going through
customs.
Jacques Laurin,
Customs and Excise
The Local 1863 team captured the A championship
at the Goderich I'ndustrial Curling League tour-
nament held on Saturday. Sixteen teams competed.
Local 1863 team members, left to right, are Glen
Falkiner, skip Jack Kellough, Charlie Crawford
and Tom Profit. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan)
61,
8 •
The Champion Sales Office team captured the B
championship at the Goderjch Industrial Curling
League tournament held on Saturday. Sixteen
teams competed. Champion team members, left to
right, are Don Kent, .Helen: MacDonald, Peter'
Warner and skip Bill Hayward. (Photo by Joanne
Buchanan)
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