South Carolina issues strict book ban amid growing movement

WASHINGTON (TN) — The new book ban in South Carolina is considered one of the most restrictive in the country.

Ordinance 43-170 requires that books with sexual content be removed from South Carolina public schools. The ordinance will take effect when students return to school in the fall.

Teaching materials are not “age and developmentally appropriate” for any age or age group of children if they contain descriptions or visual representations of “sexual behavior,” the regulation states.

Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Columbia station WACH Fox reports that some parents say these guidelines need to be implemented to create a consistent policy. Others say the rule is vague and could lead to several age-appropriate and necessary books for children being banned.

The regulation provides a complaint procedure for parents or other persons who do not agree with the textbooks or materials.

“Beginning August 1, 2024, parents or guardians of a student attending a school within a school district who have made good faith efforts to address concerns about noncompliance with this order with school or district-level personnel shall have the right to file a complaint and request the discontinuance of the specifically identified existing instructional materials,” the order states.

Parents can file a complaint with their school board about a book or material they believe should be removed from the curriculum. The school board will hold a public meeting to review the complaint, hear the public’s opinion, and vote. If parents disagree with the school board’s decision, they can appeal to the State Board of Education, and the State Board of Education will conduct a review process and make a decision.

Book bans across the country

More than 4,000 book bans occurred last fall, according to a recent report by free speech group Pen America. The report examined bans in 52 public school districts in 23 states.

The most bans occurred in Florida, with over 3,100. There were also many book bans in Wisconsin, Iowa, Texas, Kentucky and Virginia.

Pen America writes books about people of color, and LGBTQ+ people are often targeted. Many books depicting violence and abuse are also being removed from the program. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, a feminist dystopian novel about rape and forced childbirth, was on the list of banned books. The Merriam-Webster Elementary Dictionary has also been removed from some schools.

The conservative parent rights group Moms For Liberty is a major driver of book bans, urging educators to make content age-appropriate. Advocates on the other side of the argument say the book bans undermine the education of millions of students across the country.