Amend book review process
South Carolina has been flagged as leading the nation in state-mandated book bans with 22 titles either restricted or removed from public schools. The law and justifications for book censorship need to be examined.
I believe that the process is highly prejudicial based on individuals’ opinions and beliefs since it can begin with one parent’s challenge. As the advocacy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina points out: “The state is continuing to leave educational decisions for all students up to one parent. This is problematic and counter to the foundational democratic ideals of public education.”
The state Board of Education’s Regulation 43-170 does not require board members to read the books in question. This is problematic as the regulation’s definitions are vague. The state attorney general also is leading a 17-state effort to keep materials deemed racially or sexually divisive from K-12 educational resources.
How are these decisions made? If books are not read, let alone critically, one may feel led to use artificial intelligence to search for the words “sex” or “race” to pull out paragraphs without context. The public needs to see the analysis and explanation for each banned book.
The law applies only to tax-supported public schools. This is where such restrictions do the most harm. Public education serves a diverse body of students who are entitled to materials that address their diversity and learning needs.
HILARY CREW
Mount Pleasant
Drop fee-in-lieu
“We full” is a refrain that is increasing in frequency and volume in the Lowcountry, from comments on social media to stickers on car bumpers. Across the region, roads are jammed, housing and rent prices are skyrocketing, schools are crowded, trees are being chopped down, and the Gullah culture is endangered.
So why does Charleston County continue to incentivize growth by giving multinational corporations tax breaks through its fee-in-lieu-of-taxes program? More factories, more people, more traffic and pollution. And then, when County Council wants to fix problems caused by overdevelopment, it turns to us with higher property taxes and half-cent sales taxes.
Socialism for corporations. Bootstrap capitalism for us.
On Sept. 16, I attended a meeting of County Council, where it approved a fee-in-lieu agreement. I was stunned that the council members didn’t even know what the corporation receiving the tax break actually made.
Only Councilman Larry Kobrovsky voted against it — as he has for every fee-in-lieu agreement — citing it as being unfair to existing businesses.
I wasn’t even aware of the fee-in-lieu-of-taxes program until I found out about one granted to a non-American weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems of America, which makes mobile howitzers used by Israel in Gaza. Our tax dollars are contributing not only to overdevelopment here but to 21st-century genocide.
Shame on Charleston County Council.
DAVID QUICK
Mount Pleasant
Civilian award requirements
When I read the headline “Ex-SC senator who called Haley, Obama racial slur gets top honor,” I thought that someone had finally developed an award for a public figure who has exhibited bigoted and hateful speech (possibly the “Foot in Mouth Award”). But no, it was about former S.C. Sen. Jake Knotts being given the Order of the Palmetto by Gov. Henry McMaster.
I would think it would require basic civility to be considered eligible for the state’s highest civilian honor, but apparently that is no longer the case. It says a lot about our world.
PRISCILLA QUIRK
James Island
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