COLUMBIA, S.C. — House Lawmakers heard public testimony, for the third and final time, on five bills that could limit what is taught in South Carolina schools
House Bills 4392, 4343, 4325, 4605 and 4779 all have language that would restrict what teachers can say and teach in their classrooms.
Some of the bills would ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT), which the State Department of Education has said is not taught in schools.
At the first public testimony, Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said “The department of education has no current or proposed academic standards that include CRT concepts."
If the bills become law, they would also ban discussion on race, gender, sexuality, and some current events.
One of the bills would require teachers to post curriculums before the school year starts.
Civil rights and education groups strongly oppose the bills, calling them anti-truth at a press conference outside the State House Tuesday morning.
"This is an attack on public education, on our school teachers, so they will feel uncomfortable in the classroom and not teach our students what they really need to know," said Rep. Annie McDaniel.
They worry more educators will leave the profession at a time when the state is seeing record teacher shortages.
“They’re fearful they’re gonna get in trouble for reading books about Martin Luther King. They’re fearful that they can't decorate their doors for Black history month. They’re fearful, and frankly they’re ready to leave," said president of the South Carolina Education Association Sherry East.
Sponsors of the bills like Representatives RJ May of Lexington County and Stewart Jones of Laurens and Greenwood Counties said these bills are about transparency and giving parents a say in their child's education.
"If parents are upset with something their child is being taught, then there's a problem," said Jones.
"This is about education, not indoctrination, May said. "We need to take control of our classrooms."
The House Education Committee will hold several more meetings on the bills before voting on them.
Rep. May said he's confident the bills will pass the house floor if they make it out of committee.
Governor McMaster has said in the past he supports banning critical race theory.