The ACLU and ACLU of South Carolina sounded the alarm on lifting the ban on new books

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina ordinance that would allow mass censorship of books in classrooms and libraries is scheduled to be automatically approved tomorrow, June 25.

This regulation, titled “Uniform Procedure for Selection or Reconsideration of Instructional Materials,” was drafted by South Carolina Department of Education Ellen Weaver and establishes a statewide policy banning books containing descriptions of “sexual conduct” and “excretory functions.” This broad definition can be used to remove a wide range of literature from South Carolina schools, including classics such as The Canterbury Tales20th century masterpieces such as 1984and even children’s books such as Everyone buys.

“Superintendent Weaver seeks to hand unprecedented power to pro-censorship groups by overriding students’ freedom to read as well as parents’ right to direct their children’s education,” he said Josh Malkin, advisory director at the ACLU of South Carolina. “At a time when we cannot afford to lose any more teachers, the superintendent’s book ban policy would impose mountains of paperwork and the threat of punishment on public school teachers and librarians. We urge the superintendent to rescind this dangerous and draconian order.”

This sweeping policy will take effect automatically, even though it has not been debated or voted on in either the Senate or House of Representatives, as procedure usually dictates. School districts may choose to make this policy effective retroactively, but it will continue automatically. Librarians have been left without guidance on future purchases, and there is fear that districts that choose to defend the books will be inundated with challenges. For example, a similar policy in Iowa has already led to the removal of books from, among others, Native Son, UlyssesAND Violet colour from schools.

Over the past year, advocacy organizations have tried to ban books en masse through local school boards in at least a dozen districts, but they have largely succeeded when districts listened to parents, teachers and librarians who actually read the books. As the ACLU of South Carolina has repeatedly explained, the regulation would undermine parental rights and harm public education by opening the floodgates to mass book bans and encouraging self-appointed censors to impose their beliefs on all South Carolinians through appeals to the State Board of Education.

South Carolina’s law is part of a disturbing nationwide trend of book bans. The Association of American Libraries recently documented that 4,240 unique book titles were censored in 2023 and more than 1,247 requests for censorship of books, library materials and resources were submitted.

The ACLU and ACLU of South Carolina will continue to fight for a public education system where all students can see themselves, their experiences and their stories reflected on library shelves.