Beaufort County votes to restrict access to five controversial books

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - The Beaufort County Board of Education was tasked with the decision to retain, remove or restrict several controversial books in their school libraries.

After careful deliberation and comments from the public, the school board members voted to restrict access to the five books—not removing them all together.

The five books mentioned in complaint forms include:

• • Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kapur
  • Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood
  • November 9, by Colleen Hoover
  • Perfect, by Ellen Hopkins
  • The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood

The vote means the book will be kept on file, but a student can only access the book with a written consent form from a parent.

Before the vote, educators, parents and community members shared their opinions for and against restricting books.

“The books have literary merit, and they have readers who really need them,” said one attendee. “Reducing these full and complex books to sex scenes misses the point.”

“I’m asking this board to act with courage and clarity,” one attendee said. “Follow the regulation. Remove the sexually explicit books and protect our students. Because protecting kids isn’t censorship. It’s your duty.”

Earlier this year, the school board voted to restrict access to nine other books— including “The Bluest Eye” and “13 Reasons Why.”