The South Carolina Board of Education has voted to postpone a ban on 10 books from public school libraries, which include titles such as “Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Mass and “Hopeless” by Colleen Hoover. This decision comes after the state Instructional Review Materials Committee recommended pulling these books due to sexual content not deemed age-appropriate. If these books are eventually restricted, South Carolina would become the nation’s leader in statewide book bans.
Supporters of the ban argue that parents should have control over what their children read, while literacy advocates believe that these bans disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Rayne Rickrode from The Liberty Book Company in Rock Hill expressed concern that for some students, school libraries are the only place where these books are accessible.
Despite the postponement, there is no set date for when the Board of Education will vote again on this issue. Board members expressed uncertainty regarding their role in determining which books should be restricted, with member Ken Richardson questioning where the line should be drawn in terms of book bans.
For more information on this developing story, you can contact Julie Kay at juliekay@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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