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Approval Date: October 27, 2020
Amended: May 2023

EEE- Standards for Media Use

1. "Media materials" include, but are not limited to, the following items, whether provided in person, online, or through other means:
   • Text materials (i.e. books, magazines, essays, etc)
   • Video
   • Music
   • Photographs and other images
   • Three-dimensional art
2. “Instructional materials” are defined as materials selected and approved by the Board for use in all district schools.
3. “Supplemental materials” are defined as materials approved by the departments or grade levels at each school for whole-class instruction.
4. Personal viewpoint: speech that creates the appearance that an employee advocates a particular religious or political view
5. “Sensitive material” means an instructional material that is pornographic or indecent material as that term is defined in Section 76-10-1235 of Utah Code.
   1. Sensitive material does not include an instructional material that an LEA selects under Section 53G-10-402 of Utah Code:
      1. for medical courses
      2. for family and consumer science courses
      3. for another course the state board exempts in state rule

Utah Code §76-10-1235 (1)(a)
Utah Code § 53G-10-103

Expectation for Appropriate Materials

The Logan City School District shall not adopt, use, distribute, provide access to, or maintain in the school setting, sensitive materials as defined in Section 76-10-1235 Employees of the Logan City School District do not display materials that endorse, promote, or disparage a particular political, personal, religious, denominational, sectarian, agnostic, or atheistic belief or viewpoint.

(Utah Code 53G-10-202)

Classroom Displays

Materials displayed in and around a classroom are generally considered Instructional Materials and must comply with this policy. They may be selected by the classroom teacher but are subject to removal by the principal.

Because classroom displays may reasonably be perceived as having the District’s approval, they constitute government speech under the First Amendment, subject to control by the District.

Materials that do not convey the District’s educational message or are determined by the building principal to be in violation of the guidance in this policy, may be removed by the school principal. An educator or other employee who uses instructional time or space to convey a political, religious, or personal message after being directed not to may be subject to disciplinary action.

This policy does not require a principal to remove photos, decorations, or other personal items from a teacher’s desk or surrounding area as long as the items do not disrupt the learning process.

Selection of Supplemental Media Materials

At the elementary level the selection of supplemental media materials is the responsibility of the classroom teacher, applying the standards outlined in district policy.

At the middle and high school levels, media that are selected and purchased for whole-class instruction are chosen in collaboration with the teacher’s department or grade level, using the Approval of Supplemental Classroom Media form.

All media (print, images, artifacts, etc), whether viewed in person or online, must be previewed in its entirety by the teacher prior to classroom use. Teachers are responsible to ensure applicability to core curriculum, relevance of content, appropriateness based on student age, and overall appropriateness for student use.

Utah Code §53G-4-402

Online media must be included in the classroom teacher’s online instructional module (e.g., Canvas).

• In the event online media cannot feasibly be included in the online instructional module, online media references should be included.

Selection of all purchased or donated media materials shall be based on a combination of three or more of the following criteria:

• Educational significance
• Contribution to the curriculum
• Validity, currency and appropriateness
• Accuracy, timeliness and permanence
• Favorable reviews, recommendations, and/or award nominees found in standard selection sources or from professional personnel
• Potential appeal and interest
• Recreational reading needs of students
• Artistic quality and literary style
• Reputation and significance of author, producer, publisher
• Uniqueness, diversity and /or heritage of the state, region or community
• Support of second language learners
• Support of special needs students"

Video Rating Guidelines

• Elementary schools may use only video with a Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating of G and a TV-Y and TV-Y7
• Middle schools may use only video with MPAA ratings of G and TV-Y and TV-Y7
  • PG rated video may only be used after obtaining written, parent permission
• High schools may use only video with MPAA and TV ratings of G and PG
  • Video rated PG -13 or TV rating of  TV-14 may be used only with written, parent permission
• Video with MPAA ratings of R and/or NC-17 or a TV rating of TV-MA may not be used

Non-Rated Video/Media

District owned video must be reviewed for applicability to core curriculum, content, and appropriateness for student use. The school principal and/or the principal's designee (an administrator, media specialist, or licensed educator) must review the video and make a ratings recommendation. Based on the recommendation, the school principal gives final approval for use of a non-rated video in a school. A written verification of review and approval for each non-rated video must remain on file at the school location.

Non-rated online media must be previewed in its entirety by the teacher prior to classroom use. Teachers are responsible to ensure applicability to core curriculum, content, and appropriateness for student use.

Online media must be included in the classroom teacher’s online instructional module (e.g., Canvas).

• In the event online media cannot feasibly be included in the online instructional module, online media references should be included.

Permissible

• Live broadcasts of current events or breaking news should be used with discretion, based on the applicability to course curriculum, content, and appropriateness for student use
• Video may be used for instructional purposes in the classroom consistent with curriculum, content, and appropriateness for student use
• Video may only be used for entertainment purposes upon approval of the principal
• All video must be used according to Fair Use Guidelines, as referenced in Policy EEA for direct instruction in the classroom but not for reward or entertainment
• All video must be previewed for applicability and appropriateness by the classroom teacher or media specialist prior to use in the classroom
• The principal and the school library media specialist must approve all video purchased by the school
• Employees desiring to use video in situations not approved under Fair Use Guidelines (any type of public viewing, reward, or entertainment) must obtain a public performance site license for the individual school
• Media used during student assemblies must be previewed in its entirety by the building principal or another designated school employee

Prohibited

• Using video for reward or entertainment without a public performance license
• Using video for public viewing outside of instructional time without a public performance license
• Using video that has not been previewed for applicability and appropriateness
• Using personally owned or borrowed video without preview by the teacher
• Using video that violates the ratings guidelines in this policy

Click Here For Approval of Secondary Classroom Reading Material Request Sheet