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Bill > SB348
OK SB348
OK SB348Schools; directing responsibility for content of all instructional materials; requiring adoption of policy for objections to use of specific materials. Effective date. Emergency.
summary
Introduced
02/03/2025
02/03/2025
In Committee
02/04/2025
02/04/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-117, which relates to powers and duties of school district boards of education; updating statutory language; updating statutory references; requiring educational service providers, their employees and representatives, and services to afford certain parents and legal guardians the rights provided by the Parents’ Bill of Rights; providing each school district board of education and its administration the responsibility for content of all instructional materials used or made available; directing school district boards of education to adopt certain policy; providing for posting of policy; providing for contents of policy; directing certain form to be prescribed by certain rules; allowing certain evidence to be submitted; providing for removal of certain instructional material upon receipt of certain objection; authorizing reading of certain passages; directing school districts to discontinue use of certain instructional materials under certain circumstances; directing school district boards of education to establish certain procedure to contest adoption of certain materials; providing for submission of certain petition on certain form within certain time period; directing a school district board of education to conduct certain hearing within certain time period; directing recommendation to be made; amending Section 1, Chapter 106, O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 11-201), which relates to school library media centers; directing all print materials, nonprint materials, and multimedia resources to be subject to certain provisions; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Sections 16-102 and 16-111, which relate to textbook adoption; updating statutory language; directing review team members to take certain factors into consideration in recommending textbooks and instructional materials; requiring selected textbooks to meet certain requirements; modifying membership of local textbook committees; directing review process to use certain criteria; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
AI Summary
This bill introduces significant changes to school district policies regarding instructional materials and library resources in Oklahoma. The bill requires each school district board of education to take full responsibility for the content of all instructional materials used in classrooms, including those purchased with or without state funds. School districts must now adopt a clear policy that allows parents, legal guardians, or district residents to submit objections to specific instructional materials based on various criteria, such as inappropriate content, obscenity, sexual descriptions, or unsuitability for student comprehension. If an objection is submitted regarding materials that are deemed pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit, the materials must be removed within five school days and remain unavailable until the objection is resolved. The bill also modifies textbook selection processes, requiring review teams to consider specific criteria when recommending textbooks, such as maintaining that a person's biological sex is immutable and including culturally significant historical documents. Additionally, the bill expands local textbook committee membership to include more parent representatives and provides a mechanism for contesting the adoption of instructional materials through a formal hearing process. The changes aim to give parents and local communities more control and oversight of educational materials used in Oklahoma schools, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Second Reading referred to Education (on 02/04/2025)
Official Document
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