September 5, 2024
Significant changes to the South Carolina public education system have been made recently, impacting the current school year. The most notable changes involve tightened book/material regulations and a starting salary increase for teachers. There is additionally a great chance that a statewide cell phone ban will be implemented in 2025.
The State Board Of Education proposed new content regulations for books in South Carolina public schools which were passed on June 25th.
Section I of Document 5269 from the State Board of Education states that, “Instructional Material is not “Age and Developmentally Appropriate” for any age or age group of children if it includes descriptions or visual depictions of “sexual conduct”. The regulation does not explicitly state what content falls under the term “sexual conduct”
Additionally, a complaint process has been put in place for parents who disagree with the content of specific materials being taught.
Section IV of the document states that “a parent or legal guardian of any student who attends a school within a school district and who has made a good faith effort to address their concerns regarding noncompliance with this regulation with school level or district level staff shall have the right to file a complaint requesting that specifically identified Existing Instructional Material be discontinued for any grade level or age group and/or removed by the district board from all district schools and/or should be subject to a requirement of parental consent for some or all grade levels or age groups,”
Students at Winthrop University appear displeased with the implications of these regulations.
Katie Ashmore, a senior elementary education major, said, “Increasing the number of statewide book bans will only hurt the students in the future. Having so much censorship will lead to the close mindedness of students. Being able to expose them to new and diverse concepts and history will only engage students.”
Tara Carpenter, a sophomore social studies education major, shared a similar sentiment, “I don’t agree with how strict they are becoming. As teachers, it is our job to expose kids to the world in a safe manner and provide a safe place where they can share their opinions. Schools are not a place to push one opinion on kids. Whether it is something we agree with or not, every child is allowed to have their own opinion and they are allowed to have discussions about it.”
Jamie Conran, a senior educational studies major with a concentration in special education said, “They [book bans] are incredibly dangerous and set a precedent of silencing voices and experiences of marginalized communities. They also reduce a child’s experience of seeing themselves in media.”
An additional and definite change that has been implemented is a statewide minimum salary increase for public school teachers. According to News19, “Both the house and Senate passed the South Carolina state budget for FY 2024-2025” The $13 billion budget allows the starting teacher salary to rise to $47,000 a year from $42,500 a year.
Students at Winthrop University responded more positively to this information.
Ashmore stated, “The statewide increase in teacher salaries is where we should begin looking at what we can do for teachers. Teachers do so much more than we give them credit for and their pay is certainly not where it should be but it is a step in the right direction.”
Conran stated, “District leaders by department need to be more accessible by their constituents, and also districts need to be more up to date on best practices for more individualized student populations such as students with disabilities and MLs.”
According to the Charleston City Paper, a new model policy was given initial approval by the board of education on Aug. 13, which outlines a statewide cell phone ban in South Carolina.
The article states, “Board members are expected to give final approval to the policy in September, with local district implementation required by January 2025.”
The South Carolina Department of Education released a document outlining why they believe there is a need for a cell phone ban.
They stated that, “Digitals distractions [are] linked to lower academic performance”, “[there is] a significant increase in feelings of loneliness among teens since 2012, coinciding with the rise of smartphone and social media use, which has exacerbated focus issues, anxiety, and irritability.”, and “A significant number of teachers reported that cell phones contribute to behavioral issues and social problems among students”.
Amy Clausen, a special education professor at Winthrop University expressed a more nuanced opinion on the matter. She shared, “ “It is important for students to have cell phones to stay in
communication with their families, whether those are families of origin or their chosen families. Cell phones are an important form of technology that we should be able to teach students how to use appropriately. However, it’s also important for students to have time to learn and socialize with their peers without constant use of cell phones. A balance is needed.”
The education system in South Carolina has recently undergone multiple changes and will continue to in the future. It’s important for residents to stay up to date with potential adjustments in policies and regulations while they are still in the process of reaching appealment or rejection.
