“We Followed the Model Policy": A Case Study of the Book Challenge Process in South Carolina

• In Event: Book Censorship and Banning in the United States

Abstract

Schools in the United States are facing a multi-year book challenge crisis (McCormick, 2023). In South Carolina, one of the first signs of this was a challenge of 96 books in the Beaufort County School District (McCombs & Sofaly, 2022). This large-scale challenge resulted in years of book challenge committees and policy changes. Our investigation of book challenges in SC explores how policy and sociocultural contexts intersect in the battle over literacy materials such as books in local schools. First, we highlight how experiences in South Carolina weave into the national landscape of book challenges. Next, we explore the book challenge process in Beaufort County. Lastly, we discuss how teachers, parents, and students can move toward remedy and repair.

Authors

• Susan Anne Cridland-Hughes, Clemson University

• Katie McGee, Clemson University

• Jennifer Gallman, Spartanburg County School District #6