Group concerned over book material in schools, libraries

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- Which books should be in libraries and where they should sit on the shelves is a topic of discussion in Charleston County.

Charleston County’s local republican party is bringing their concerns over certain books to the Charleston County Council and Charleston County Library Board.

The chair of the Charleston County Republican Party, Andrew Boucher, is narrowing his focus on local libraries.

“Parents, when they drop their kids off at the public library, should have the confidence that their kids are going to read age-appropriate material,” Boucher said.

Recently, the party presented a resolution to the county council and the library board to alter their policies so that no sexually explicit material is allowed in the children’s section of Charleston County libraries.

“It’s fine for adults in an adult section, but it shouldn’t be easily accessible to kids,” Boucher said.

Boucher says he thinks this is a no-brainer to protect children, but other groups are questioning where the line should be drawn and who should make those decisions.

“Personally, I think it is about control. I think it is control of information. I think it is about usurping what librarians and educators have the background and qualifications to make decisions as far as what books are allowed in their classrooms,” Executive Director of Defense of Democracy Karen Svoboda said.

The Charleston County Library System is responsible for selecting what goes inside the library. According to a statement on the library system website “The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading materials.”

On Monday, Defense of Democracy started a petition to support the library system.

“When we hear that something is going on like this, when there is a library under attack, we will do what we can to raise awareness. Sharing a petition and what we did stated our beliefs, and it is that librarians are the ones that need to make these decisions,” Svoboda said.

At the state house, a temporary law was written into the state budget that requires county libraries to certify to the state library that their children’s section does not contain any books that have sexual material.

Boucher says it’s important that Charleston County adheres to this mandate, “It’s a parental rights issue, it’s a trust issue. It’s very simple. Just move the books from one room to another room where they can be accessed by adults and not kids.”