COLUMBIA, SC — On Tuesday, March 1, the House will hold a hearing on House Bills 4325, 4343, 4392, 4605, 4799 . The five bills are known as “anti-truth bills” because they would restrict what teachers can say and teach in their classrooms.
Karen Culbreath Executive Director of the ACLU of South Carolina issued the following statement on the proposed legislation:
“South Carolina lawmakers are attempting to use legislation like the proposed anti-truth bills to bar educators from teaching critical race theory and related concepts like white privilege and racial equity in schools. These bills don’t just set back progress in addressing systemic issues, they also rob young people of an inclusive education and blatantly suppress speech about race.
“South Carolina is not alone – a nationwide attempt to censor discussions of race in the classroom is underway. Since our founding the ACLU has opposed censorship in all its forms – that includes films, television, internet and books. We believe that the first amendment is so fundamental because it should stop this kind of erasure in its tracks. We will continue to fight against this surge of censorship with new litigation and fierce advocacy.”
Josh Malkin, Legal Fellow and Legislative Advocate, represents ACLU of South Carolina in the Truth in Ed SC Coalition that was formed to ensure that our children learn an accurate history of our country and state so they can grow up to be informed and engaged adults. Learn more here: https://www.protruthsc.org/about
