South Carolina school and library book laws
South Carolina State Board Regulation 43-170 treats descriptions of “sexual conduct” as not age-appropriate for any age and requires posted catalogs.
South Carolina’s rule is a State Board of Education regulation, not a statute: SBE Regulation 43-170 (in force July 26, 2024) under S.C. Code §§ 59-5-60 and 60-9-30. Instructional materials, school libraries, classroom libraries, and reading lists must be age/developmentally appropriate and educationally suitable. Descriptions or visual depictions of “sexual conduct” are not age-appropriate for any age. Districts must post a complete library catalog. Local board hearings can be appealed to the State Board, which has issued statewide remove/retain orders (for example retaining 1984 and To Kill a Mockingbird while removing other titles). 2025–26 pornography bills such as H4123 / S0919 were tracked as dead. The regulation does not apply to public libraries.
Not legal advice. Confirm the enrolled text and any injunction before changing policy. LRS is informational and must not be the sole basis for removing books.
Bills and rules
| Measure | Year | Status | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBE Regulation 43-170 Age-appropriate instructional and library materials Materials must be age-appropriate and educationally suitable; sexual-conduct descriptions are not age-appropriate at any age; complete catalog posting; appeal to the State Board with statewide orders. | 2024 | In force | School libraries |
How BookLooky LRS addresses the concern
- Sexual-conduct detection is the operational core of R. 43-170 — Romance intensity plus official full-text review supports staff screening.
- Statewide remove/retain lists can be cross-checked against an LRS-enriched catalog; LRS is not the State Board’s order.
- Posted complete catalogs are a direct bulk-scan use case.
Story theme scores (including LGBTQ+ representation) measure presence in the plot. They are not warnings and are not a lawful stand-in for “harmful to minors.”