Tango Returns to Loudoun County School Shelves

Tango Returns to Loudoun County School Shelves

The controversial And Tango Makes Three returned to the general circulation shelves in the 16 elementary schools of Loudoun County (Va.) Public Schools March 3. That day, Superintendent Edgar B. Hatrick declared the challenge that led to the book being relocated to areas accessible only by parents and teachers to be invalid because the person who made the challenge was not a parent of a student at Sugarland Elementary School, where the challenge was made, the Leesburg Today reported March 3.

“I can assure you that I have put administrative measures in place to be sure that in the future any such requests will be managed carefully to be sure that policy procedures are followed carefully and fully,” Hatrick wrote in a memo to the school board. “Since this policy is rarely implemented, staff is not as familiar with it as we are with other routines and therefore we must follow the steps of the policy as they are written. At every point in carrying out this policy at least two administrators will be double checking the process.”

The school board gave preliminary approval March 4 to a revised book-review policy that clarifies the steps a parent should take to challenge materials and charges each school’s principal with making the final decision, the Leesburg Today reported March 5. The revision was approved by a 4–1 vote over a similar proposal that vested the final decision with a committee appointed by the principal. The changes will be revised slightly to finalize language, and are expected to be adopted by the end of April.

Posted on March 7, 2008. Discuss.