'Book banning' rule goes into effect in South Carolina schools

 

A new regulation from the South Carolina Department of Education will set new guidelines for what materials are "age appropriate" in schools.

Regulation 43-170 received automatic approval on Tuesday after lawmakers failed to bring the regulation to a vote this past session. Under the new guidelines, materials containing any "descriptions or visual depictions of “sexual conduct" will no longer be allowed in South Carolina's schools.

Some parents say that guidelines must be implemented to make a uniform policy.

"Across South Carolina, we were seeing so many different things depending on the individual county," said Christi Rhom Dixon from Lexington County Moms for Liberty. "A uniform policy I believe helps to put guardrails in place so that everyone knows what the expectations are."However, some say the regulation is vague and would open the door to banning a number of books that are age-appropriate and necessary for children. In a statement, ACLU Executive Director Jace Woodrum said,  "By crafting and promoting a broad new book-banning policy, Superintendent Ellen Weaver has handed a blunt instrument to her ideological allies in the pro-censorship lobby. We still believe in academic freedom and will fight tooth and nail alongside teachers, librarians, students, and parents against the ongoing campaign of harassment and intimidation in public schools and libraries.”

The regulation also includes a procedure for parents to appeal any decision approving a book or classroom material to the South Carolina Board of Education. The Board of Education said in its executive summary, "under the current patchwork of district policies and practices, stakeholders are afforded an uneven opportunity to have their concerns addressed in a uniform, transparent manner."

However, according to Palmetto State Teachers Association's Patrick Kelly, the vague guidelines could make it difficult for teachers to interpret them.

"If you create an environment where every single thing you do is being questioned and measured against an undefined standard of age appropriateness or under defined standard I think that’s going to cause a lot of anxiety and stress," said Kelly. "I think it going to lead to a lot of teachers leaving this profession at a moment where our children just can’t afford it."

The regulation will be in effect when students return in the fall.