Clearly frustrated by a process that many members see as out of control, the state Board of Education on April 1 deferred action on 10 books it has been asked to remove from state public school libraries.
“I’m concerned about potential abuses of a process that we intended to be fair and equitable,” said Myra Slaughter, the board member for Calhoun, Dorchester and Orangeburg counties.
The deferral came amid growing concerns about Regulation 43-170, the state rule that governs book removals. Under the regulation, any parent can challenge any school library book containing depictions of “sexual content,” triggering a review by the state education board.
Since the rule took effect last year, 12 books have been removed or restricted. If the board had removed the 10 books under consideration Tuesday, the state would have surpassed Utah for the most books banned from public schools.
Of particular concern, some members said, was that a majority of the banned books were challenged by one parent in one school district.
“I don’t think somebody from Beaufort should make me drive here from Myrtle Beach every meeting to talk about more books,” board member Ken Richardson, who represents Horry and Georgetown counties, said. “My question is, when does this thing stop?”
ACLU of S.C. Advocacy Director Josh Malkin lauded the deferral in an April 1 statement.
“It is reassuring that the State Board of Education is prioritizing the rights of families, students, and educators rather than the handful of South Carolinians who feel scarily comfortable taking the rights of others,” Malkin said. “I hope that the board will take the time to craft a democratic policy that considers the full context of a written work.”
The board is expected to revisit the issue at its May 6 meeting.
In other recent news
Utilities, environmental groups back deal to build Lowcountry gas plant. After killing a similar bill last session, the S.C. Senate came to a late-night agreement April 2 that would reform the state’s energy permitting process and clear the way for the conversion of a former Lowcountry coal-fired power plant to natural gas.
U.S. Supreme Court divided on S.C. push to ban Planned Parenthood funding. U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared to be divided during Wednesday’s oral arguments over Gov. Henry McMaster’s long-running effort to cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. At issue: Do Medicaid patients have the right to choose their own providers for medical services?
McMaster’s public health pick fails to advance. The S.C. Senate Medical Affairs Committee declined to give a favorable report to Gov. Henry McMaster’s nominee, Dr. Edward Simmer, to lead the Department of Public Health.
S.C. Senate to consider removing state treasurer. The S.C. Senate will hold a hearing on April 21 to begin determining the fate of state Treasurer Curtis Loftis, who was found by independent auditors to have been partially responsible for accounting errors that put the state in the middle of a federal fraud investigation. If fired, Loftis would be the first statewide elected official in S.C. history to be removed from office.
- RELATED: Loftis confirms 2026 reelection bid
S.C. House votes to ban ‘illegal’ DEI. The GOP-controlled S.C. House voted along party lines Wednesday to ban “illegal” diversity, equity and inclusion programs in S.C. government. Supporters argued the last-minute addition of the word “illegal” means that legal diversity efforts can continue. Critics said it would still have a “chilling effect” on legitimate programs.
S.C. Senate votes to expand school meals. The S.C. Senate voted unanimously Wednesday for a bill that would expand the state’s school lunch program and safeguard it against possible federal cuts. To become law, the legislation would have to also be passed by the S.C. House and signed by the governor.
S.C. lawmakers bet on horse racing bill. For years, the Palmetto State has attempted to pass legislation allowing South Carolinians to participate in horse race betting. They haven’t been able to reach the finish line as the legislation has been met with stark opposition from those concerned about gambling addiction.
Bill would ban credit card coding for gun sales. Legislation advancing in the state House would ban credit card companies from tracking sales of guns or ammunition and ensure no government agency in South Carolina keeps a registry of gun owners.
S.C. lawmakers push to criminalize revenge porn. South Carolina stands alone in the country as the only state that has no law on the books targeting revenge porn, but legislation advancing at the State House would finally remove it from that list.
Weaver bans racial, gender terms in S.C. Education Department docs. In a March memo, state Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver directed employees to not use terms related to certain racial and gender “ideologies” in official department documents. Banned terms include “antiracism,” “social-emotional learning,” “diversity, equity and inclusion” and “critical theory.”
Cooper River Bridge Run stories: Annual race generates wellness plus lifetime of memories. While most “get over” the bridge and finish the race, many treasure the experience of running with waves of people headed to complete a common goal. And that, in turn, inspires stories, tens of thousands a year. Here are some of them.
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