Greenville, S.C. Suspends Book Fair Due to New State Law
In Greenville, South Carolina, the Greenville County School District (CSD) has announced that it will not hold its in-person book fair this school year due to concerns about adhering to a new state law. The decision comes after the passage of SC Regulation 43-170, which requires that all educational materials in public schools be considered “age and developmentally appropriate.”
The New Law’s Impact
The recent policy defines materials as not age-appropriate if they include any “descriptions or visual depictions of sexual content.” Officials at Greenville CSD expressed that this law presents significant challenges for their upcoming book fairs. “The logistics of book fairs involve large containers of books and other material being delivered to schools, set out, packed up, picked up, restocked, and sent to the next school on a short turnaround time,” explained Tim Waller, the district’s director of media relations.
Challenges of Compliance
Waller further pointed out that it is not feasible for school staff to review all book fair content once it arrives. Additionally, he noted that vendors often cannot provide accurate information about the contents of the books far enough in advance for thorough vetting by the district.
Future Plans
While the district is currently working on finding a way to comply with the new regulation, they have plans to offer alternative solutions for students. These include book clubs and online book fairs, which may help to continue encouraging reading among students without violating the new law.
As the situation develops, Greenville CSD aims to find a balance between compliance with the law and the promotion of reading, which remains an important priority for the district and its students.
