老澳门开奖结果 and 老澳门开奖结果 of South Carolina Sound Alarm on Sweeping New Book Ban Law

June 24, 2024 2:30 pm

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COLUMBIA, S.C. 鈥 A South Carolina that would enable mass censorship of books in school classrooms and libraries is set for automatic approval tomorrow, June 25th.

Titled 鈥淯niform Procedure for Selection or Reconsideration of Instructional Materials,鈥 this regulation was crafted by Ellen Weaver鈥檚 South Carolina Department of Education and sets a statewide policy banning books that contain descriptions of 鈥渟exual conduct鈥 and 鈥渆xcretory functions.鈥 This broad definition could be used to remove a vast range of literature from South Carolina schools, including classics like The Canterbury Tales, 20th-century masterpieces like 1984, and even children鈥檚 books like Everyone Poops.

鈥淪uperintendent Weaver is seeking to hand unprecedented power to pro-censorship groups, overriding students鈥 freedom to read as well as parents鈥 right to direct their own children鈥檚 education,鈥 said Josh Malkin, advocacy director at 老澳门开奖结果 of South Carolina. 鈥淎t a time when we can鈥檛 afford to lose more educators, the superintendent鈥檚 book banning policy would place mountains of paperwork and a threat of punishment on the backs of public school teachers and librarians. We're calling on the superintendent to walk back this dangerous and draconian regulation."

This broad-reaching policy is set to take effect automatically, despite the fact that it was not debated or voted upon by either the state Senate or House as process typically dictates. School districts can decide if this policy applies retroactively, however it is automatic going forward. Librarians have been left without guidance as to how to go forward with future purchases, and there鈥檚 worry that the districts that decide to defend books will be flooded with challenges. A in Iowa, for example, has already led to the removal of books including Native Son, Ulysses, and The Color Purple from schools.

Over the past year, pro-censorship organizations have tried banning books in bulk via local school boards in , but they have largely been thwarted when districts listened to parents, teachers, and librarians who actually read the books. As the 老澳门开奖结果 of South Carolina has repeatedly explained, the regulation would undermine parental rights and harm public education by throwing open the floodgates for mass book bans by encouraging self-appointed censors to impose their beliefs on all South Carolinians via appeals to the State Board of Education.

South Carolina鈥檚 regulation is part of a troubling nationwide book ban trend. The recently documented that in 2023, 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship, and there were over 1,247 demands to censor library books, materials, and resources.

The 老澳门开奖结果 and 老澳门开奖结果 of South Carolina will continue to fight for a public education system where all students can see themselves, their experiences, and their histories reflected on library shelves 鈥 as well as where they can learn to think for themselves.

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