MLM Attorneys Review Book Challenges and Curriculum Opt-Outs with Massachusetts School Leaders
MLM attorneys Caitlin Mulrooney and Joshua Coleman led a discussion on book challenges and curriculum opt-outs with Massachusetts school committee members and superintendents at the annual joint conference of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) and Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS) last week in Hyannis.
This year’s Joint Conference took place November 8-10, with involvement from school leaders, attorneys, state officials, and experts in the educational field attending from around the Commonwealth. Attendees and presenters reviewed a broad range of education topics and current issues affecting schools and school leaders throughout the conference. Additional information about the annual conference can be found on the MASC and MASS websites.
For their panel discussion, attorneys Mulrooney and Coleman focused on the legal issues that arise when parents seek to opt their children out of certain curricula or challenge the presence of a particular book or instructional material in the classroom or school library. Book challenges and curriculum opt-outs have been a hot topic in recent years, and the American Library Association has noted a rise in book challenges across the country. Public schools have been at the forefront of this struggle, and MLM attorneys have regularly been called upon to advise public schools on these issues, with the most frequently challenged materials being targeted for their LGBTQIA+ content or depictions/descriptions of sexuality. Attorneys Mulrooney and Coleman reviewed this cultural backdrop with school leaders and provided an overview of the legal framework governing book challenges and curriculum opt-outs, the policy considerations that come into play when dealing with these issues, and the limits of any individual parent’s ability to dictate the curriculum taught in public schools.
Murphy, Lamere & Murphy, P.C. recommends that any school leader facing a challenge to the school’s library or classroom materials consult with their legal counsel at their earliest opportunity regarding their legal obligations and best practices. MLM clients are welcome to contact us with any questions.
