A State Board of Education panel recommended Thursday that Crank, a frank novel about a young woman’s struggles with methamphetamine addiction, remain available for checkout in S.C. high school libraries, but only with parental permission.
“This material, much like 1984, goes up to the line,” committee chair Christian Hanley said, referring to the George Orwell novel the panel approved last month. “In fact, I think this author may have gotten a little closer to the line, but I don’t think she actually crossed it.”
Due to those concerns, committee members added a requirement that libraries provide the state’s five-page review of the book’s most controversial passages to all parents considering it for their children.
After the decision, the book’s author, Ellen Hopkins, argued that parents who object to the book should have to affirmatively deny checkout approval for their children rather than the other way around.
“This is a poor compromise,” Hopkins said in a social media post. “Opting out is an acceptable compromise. But at least it’s still there and semi-available.”
In other business, committee members deferred action on two other young adult novels, Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. The full Board of Education will make a final decision regarding the availability of Crank on Dec. 3.
Malloy asks for new election in Senate 29 race
After a legally-mandated recount that moved 191 votes in his direction, S.C. Sen. Gerald Malloy (D-Darlington) is formally asking the S.C. Election Commission to invalidate his loss to Republican J.D. Chaplin and order a new election in Senate District 29.
Prior to the Nov. 15 recount, Malloy trailed Chaplin by 278 votes. After the recount, he was behind by 87.
To give perspective to the magnitude of a vote shift that big in one election, Malloy’s Election Commission filing challenge notes that only a total of 24 votes have moved from one candidate’s tally to the other in the 18 state and congressional recounts in South Carolina over the past 10 years combined.
Given the size of the shift in his race, as well as other “irregularities” in the counting process, Malloy argues that a thorough investigation and a new election are warranted.
“We are facing a situation that simply hasn’t happened before with our electronic voting systems,” Malloy said in a statement. “We need to take a closer look to ensure accuracy in this race and future elections. Clearly, everyone will benefit from understanding how this many errors were even possible and how we can fix it so this never happens again.”
In addition to what Malloy calls the “unprecedented” numbers of votes that moved during the recount, the filing alleges further improprieties involving the handling of early votes in Lee County, where the bulk of the counting errors occurred.
S.C. Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said Malloy’s appeal was necessary to ensure confidence in state elections.
“We must be able to trust the integrity of our elections, and we have confidence that the South Carolina Election Commission will address the issues outlined in the protest and uphold the integrity of this election,” Spain said. “The people of Senate District 29 and all South Carolinians deserve no less.”
Conversely, S.C. Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick called Malloy “a sore loser.”
“In Malloy’s final power grab of his 22-year reign, he’s refusing to concede,” McKissick said. “I call on Gerald Malloy to stop being an election denier, do the right thing, and listen to the people for the first time in his career.”
But in a Nov. 18 letter to the Lee County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, the S.C. State Election Commission (SCSEC) appeared to validate at least some of Malloy’s concerns about the county’s election procedures.
“As the executive director of the South Carolina State Election Commission (SCSEC), it is my duty to ensure the integrity, accuracy and transparency of elections conducted within our state,” SCSEC Executive Howard Knapp wrote. “I am writing to express my concern regarding discrepancies observed in the recount results for the November 5, 2024, election, particularly in the South Carolina Senate District 29 race.”
Knapp directed county officials to provide the following information by Friday, Nov. 22 :
- “A detailed explanation of the specific errors or irregularities that led to the discrepancies between the original vote totals and the recount results.
- “A comprehensive breakdown of the recount process utilized in Lee County, including whether you adhered to state and federal election laws and established recount procedures.
- “Documentation of all communications, logs, and procedures followed during the recount process.
- “An explanation of why these discrepancies were not identified and addressed prior to certification.
- “A detailed plan of action for rectifying any procedural, operational, or equipment-related deficiencies that may have contributed to this situation.”
Knapp urged Lee County officials to respond to the information request without delay.
“It is imperative that these concerns are addressed promptly and thoroughly to ensure public confidence in the electoral process,” Knapp wrote. “Please prioritize this issue and provide a comprehensive explanation for the discrepancies observed in the recount results.”
Malloy’s protest hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Dec. 3. Under S.C. law, any further appeal would go to the S.C. Senate rather than the state court system for final adjudication.
In other recent news
Smith denied parole 30 years after murdering sons. State officials denied notorious S.C. child-killer Susan Smith’s request for parole despite Smith’s pleas that God had forgiven her for her crimes. Smith will be eligible for parole again in two years.
Ex-Westinghouse executive sentenced to prison for V.C. Summer crimes. Prosecutors say former Westinghouse executive Jeffrey Benjamin lied to regulators about delays and cost overruns at the planned V.C. Summer nuclear power site, which was later abandoned at a cost of $9 billion to S.C. ratepayers. He’s expected to spend 10 months in federal prison.
S.C. virtual charter school’s governance fractures following staff lawsuit. Two different groups of board members are claiming authority over the S.C. Virtual Charter School as a lawsuit from several school employees moves forward.
Former DHEC director nominated to lead S.C. public health agency. Gov. Henry McMaster has tapped interim director Dr. Edward Simmer of South Carolina’s 5-month-old public health agency to permanently lead the department.
Wilson calls for more protections for kids online. The government has put guardrails in place on movies, TV, alcohol, and tobacco companies, requiring them to act in a way that prevents harm to kids and teens, S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson says..
Transgender teen sues S.C. over school bathroom law. The lawsuit focuses on a temporary law in the current state budget which requires people, including students, to use school restrooms and locker rooms based on their biological sex at birth.
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