COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina senators are close to passing a bill that sets guidelines for history curriculum on subjects like slavery and segregation.
The 'Transparency and Integrity in Education Act' bans concepts like any race is superior to another and anyone being responsible for past atrocities like slavery because of their race.
Supporters said the goal isn't to stifle classroom instruction but to keep subjective opinions out of it.
“I want them to learn about Jim Crow, I want them to learn about slavery. I want them to learn about the Holocaust I want them to learn about all those things that happened in the past. Now I don’t want them to be blamed for those things," said Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey.
It creates an appeal process for lessons or books that a parent thinks are inappropriate for a child. The process starts with the principal, then could potentially move all the way up to the state school board.
Advocates said this protects teachers from baseless claims.
“It sets out that policy but it tells teachers here’s what you can do and what you can’t do," Massey said Tuesday.
The bill received bipartisan support in the Senate Education committee, but several Democrats like Sen. Kevin Johnson say its a solution in search of a problem.
“We have people now that are making all kinds of fuss about books that should not be available to students, but from what I’ve been told, those folks making that fuss haven’t even read the books.," said Johnson (D-Clarendon).
Under the proposal, teachers would be required to post classroom textbooks and other materials. It also bans using teaching materials that include pornography and requires books in school libraries to be age and grade-appropriate.
The criteria for those decisions would be left to the State Board of Education.
Parents like Crystal Robinson Rouse, who is the director of Collective Action Networks at Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative are worried this bill could result in more books being pulled from library shelves across the state.
“As it pertains to a lot of the books that are banned a lot of them are reflective of people who like me or are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and they need to have a place in the educational system," said Rouse.
If the House agrees with the Senate's changes, the bill heads to Gov. Henry McMaster's desk. If they don't it will go to conference committee.
"What folks don’t understand is that it will impact folks who aren’t at the table to make the decisions," added Rouse.