S.C. lawmakers combat book removal efforts in schools
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Several Democratic State House representatives discussed a bill focused on access to books in public school libraries across South Carolina.
The representatives and several librarians from around the Palmetto State spoke Wednesday morning at the South Carolina State House in of the “Freedom to Read Protections and Respect for School Library Media Specialist Autonomy Act.”
The legislation, primarily sponsored by Rep. Heather Bauer, D - Richland, seeks to combat the recent removal of certain books from public school libraries by “affirm[ing] rights concerning student access to diverse and developmentally appropriate reading material.”
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“It seems many have forgotten the purpose of a library,” said Karen Garris, a Beaufort County librarian who spoke during the press conference. “To provide access to a wide range of resources applicable to curriculum standards and student interest, develop information literacy skills, and foster a love of reading, not a fear of it.”
If the bill was ed, it would also grant more autonomy for school library media specialists in curating and maintaining their materials as well as push for transparency for formal challenges to school library books.
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It would also advocate for protecting librarians and other school media specialists from intimidation, harassment or undue interference.
Under current state law, citizens are allowed to submit complaints about books found in public school libraries and classrooms by sending a form to the Instructional Materials Review Committee (IMRC).
The IMRC then reviews the complaints and submits a recommendation to the State Board of Education, which ultimately decides whether or not to remove or retain the challenged book.
State Superintendent Ellen Weaver’s policy, Regulation 43-170, provides that parents or guardians can submit complaints on up to five books each calendar month, so long as they make a good faith effort to address their concerns with school district staff.
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“Regulation 43-170 has made it possible for one person to ban books in all of South Carolina,” said Garris. “One person’s opinion, taken wholly without context or basis in literary merit, because they found it offensive or harmful without evidence.”
The regulation bans “instructional material [that] is not ‘age and developmentally appropriate’ for any age or age group of children if it includes descriptions or visual depictions of ‘sexual conduct,’” the regulation said.
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Since Regulation 43-170 began in 2024, eleven books have been removed from South Carolina schools by the State Board of Education, per the IMRC’s recommendation. They include:
- “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky
- “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson
- “Flamer” by Mike Curato
- “Push” by Sapphire
- “A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas
- “A Court of Wings and Ruin” by Sarah J. Maas
- “Damsel” by Elana Arnold
- “Ugly Love” by Colleen Hoover
- “Normal People” by Sally Rooney
If ed, the legislation would also push for the creation of district-level Material Review Committees to intercept challenges to instructional material before reaching the state’s board.
According to the bill, these committees would be mandated to include a certified school library media specialist, a student where appropriate and other district-wide representatives.
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