COLUMBIA – On Thursday, October 31, at 1 p.m., a subcommittee of the State Board of Education will embark on the first round of state-sponsored book bans. Of the 11 titles being challenged, an unknown reviewer recommended that 8 be banned and 3 be retained.
The hearing will take place with little public notice and no explanation of where the challenges originated. Based on the review forms, decisions were made using Moms for Liberty’s preferred rating system, BookLooks.org – a site that takes “objectionable” passages out of context in order to facilitate bans. Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, book banning politicians and organizations are sending a message: Your parental rights are no longer your own when it comes to the books your child reads.
The following statement is from Josh Malkin, Advocacy Director for the ACLU of South Carolina:
“The state Department of Education is operating with shockingly little transparency as it endeavors to remove books from every classroom and library in South Carolina. We will continue to stand with our incredible educators and parents and students who do not think it acceptable for one person to impose their worldview on an entire state. Attacking the right to access information will lead to a host of unintended, and sadly intended, consequences. We remain committed to advocating for the freedom to read."
The October 31 subcommittee meeting is the first of what will likely be many book ban hearings enabled by Regulation 43-170, a regulation promulgated by Superintendent Ellen Weaver over objections from teachers, librarians, and students across the state. The regulation enables book banning organizations to challenge books for all grade levels in K-12 schools if they contain a description of “sexual conduct.”
The S.C. Board of Education’s Instructional Materials Review Committee will meet virtually via Webex. More information, including the full list of challenged books, is available via the S.C. Department of Education website: https://ed.sc.gov/state-board/state-board-of-education/instructional-materials-review-committee/
