Greenville County School Board Discusses Book Fair Resolution
Greenville, S.C. – The Greenville County School District has put a pause on book fairs this school year because of new state rules. On Tuesday, members of the advocacy committee gathered to discuss a resolution that they hope will change things for the better.
New Legislation Sparks Changes
According to Chuck Saylors, the Chairman of the Advocacy Committee, new legislation was introduced at the South Carolina General Assembly last session. This legislation establishes new regulations regarding the selection of media center materials, which means schools must be more careful about the books they offer students.
The committee expressed concerns that the changes impact book fairs significantly. Vendors often provide lists of available titles for book fairs; however, schools may receive books that do not align with the new regulations without even knowing it.
Challenges in Book Fair Preparations
“For example, when the vendor sends a list with 100 titles and 20 of those are sold out, they will still send the same list of 100 titles. It becomes a challenge because the school staff does not know which titles have been replaced. This means they might handle books that they haven’t properly vetted,” explained one committee member during the meeting.
Seeking Relief from Regulations
To tackle this complicated issue, the committee aims to find a simple solution. Saylors mentioned, “We cannot guarantee that every book from a vendor meets the state board’s requirements. To protect both students and faculty effectively, we believe it is best to exempt book fairs from these regulations.”
Next Steps for the Committee
The committee plans on finalizing this resolution at the board meeting next week. After approval, it will be sent directly to the State Department of Education and lawmakers. Meanwhile, the Greenville County Schools are brainstorming creative strategies to ensure that book fairs can still take place in the community without running into regulatory issues.
