CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The Charleston County School District has now approved and adopted a new rule to regulate which books are allowed in public schools.
The approval came from Monday night’s Board of Trustees meeting but was discussed more in-depth Tuesday at a news conference with district leaders.
Tuesday’s event was held at Edith L. Frierson Elementary School on Wadmalaw Island because the school jumped from an unsatisfactory rating to excellent on the state report card in just one year, with the district wanting to highlight that achievement.
The news conferences are a new initiative for the district to hold after each Board of Trustees meeting to help offer more transparency and access to Charleston County schools.
Superintendent Anita Huggins focused on major topics from the night before including the approval of the Union Pier TIF, instructional materials and the cellphone ban.
Specifically focusing on the book ban vote from Monday night, the South Carolina Department of Education implemented a new law this summer which left the CCSD with really no choice in approving the policy.
“Since the summer and since we’ve had more knowledge about this regulation, we have been working to ensure that they (principals) know the support that we want to offer them and to their teachers,” Huggins said.
The state law completely bans material for any age group if it includes visual depictions or descriptions of sexual conduct. It also outlines a process for someone to challenge them all the way up to the State Board of Education.
Board members were presented with multiple, very detailed policies that are aligned with state regulations and unanimously approved each specific policy.
One of the major changes in the regulation now requires teachers to catalog books which puts a challenge on educators to select and retain materials.
“Our principals, they have welcomed the opportunity to really ensure that the content of the curriculum that we’re choosing, the materials are rigorous and they’re appropriate for the age with which the students that they’re serving,” Deputy Superintendent Dr. Luke Clamp said. “So they’ve not necessarily been concerned, but really it’s an opportunity.”
When asked about feedback from parents, Huggins said there are two very different views from parents…
“We hear from parents who want students to have access and opportunity related to books of all content, and then we have parents who want a voice in what their students read and have access to in our library media centers across the district,” Huggins said.
The regulation allows the State Board of Education to have the final say in local disputes over what materials are appropriate, ranging from school library books to even those read by an afterschool student book club.
The State Board of Education will be holding its first book review hearing on Thursday to decide if famous books such as “Romeo and Juliet” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” will still be on the shelves of public schools in the state.
“This week’s first committee review at the State level has sparked some interesting dialog and debate,” Huggins said. “There are various titles on the list to be considered among the committee, and so we await the decision and the recommendation of that committee to the state board and the next steps.”
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