SC Committee Considers Statewide Bans Against More Books

The books include Mike Curator's award-winning graphic novel Flamer.

This update is available without a paywall in part thanks to ProTruthSC. You can follow the coalition on Instagram, on Facebook, or on Bluesky. Update: members of the Instructional Materials Review Committee considering the bans can be contacted via email using the addresses found here: tinyurl.com/yw5ephkp.

I’m re-sharing a piece I wrote on Mike Curato’s award-winning graphic novel Flamer, because the book is being challenged by the South Carolina Instructional Materials Review Committee, where it has a good chance of being removed from every school in the state.

Similar to the committee’s approach last time, they have selected several books which were challenged by single parent, this time in Beaufort County— the same parent who made national news when she challenged 96 of the 97 books at once last year in the district.

According to CBS’ coverage at the time, “The list of books originated from a site called BookLooks, founded two years ago by a Florida nurse who is a former member of Moms for Liberty.”

Other books the parent is challenging at the state level include The Perks of Being a Wallflower, All Boys Aren’t Blue, and Push.

These books join two other books, the award-winning House on Mango Street and Bronx Masquerade. Those title were challenged at the committee’s last meeting, also by a single parent.

While the committee found the parent didn’t have enough information to make a successful challenge, it chose to give her additional time, while age-restricting Ellen Hopkins’ CRANK.

A social media post from the intellectual freedom coalition ProTruth South Carolina. This piece is available for free, in part, thanks to ProTruth.

Members of the public interested in attending the virtual meeting this Thursday, January, 9, must email the committee at sclreg@ed.sc.gov by 1:00 PM on Monday, January 6. For more information, see the committee’s page here.