SC Transparency and Integrity in Education Act passes House, opponents’ question ‘fact-based’ language

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - South Carolina H. 3728 or the Transparency and Integrity in Education Act passed in the House today with a vote of 83 to 34. It must move next to the Senate. While the bill does not prevent teaching controversial topics, more parents are speaking out about defining what that means.

Sponsors say public instruction should be nonbiased and include the broad scope of history, both the inspirational history and the shameful. But opponents argue even that leaves too much room for interpretation.

This is Pilgrimage Vibrations an abstract expression exhibit by Robert Spencer at the Clemson Area African American Museum.

“There’s enough realism to bring you in and enough abstraction to keep you there,” Spencer said.

Art observers like Bryant K. Smith calls it moving.

“I liked the way it went from very subtle to very strong messages,” Smith said. “Kind of makes you really reflect on not only the artwork, but how it makes you feel.”

And it’s a journey that many spectators document.

“When you take that journey then you can share that with someone else,” Spencer said.

A historical journey in a former colored school that this month has many significant exhibits, screenings and discussions on topics from mental health, to race, education and housing that could affect history today and tomorrow.

“The museum is an ongoing institution,” said Angela Agard, Clemson Area African American Museum executive director. “When we are talking about these items, we are bringing it forward, so that later on we can look at it and say, uh huh, that was the issue, that’s how we dealt with it, and we can move forward.”

And the first topic on the block education and South Carolina H. 3728.

“These conversations are important because they’re not talked about enough,” said Alexander Mitchell, activist and table talk moderator.

The bill which passed in the House Feb. 8 prohibits certain concepts from being taught in school to include teaching that “one race, ethnicity, color, or national origin is inherently superior” or that “an individual is inherently privileged or oppressive” and outlines that “controversial aspects of history” and “historical oppression” be fact-based.

“It is a compromise to promote transparency and integrity in our education in the great state of South Carolina,” said Rep. R. Raye Felder, in a Jan. 24 hearing on the bill. “Teaching instruction materials must not promote or demean a particular race, sex, ethnicity, religion or national origin.”

“I don’t need my children’s education to be compromised,” said Smith. “I think there’s enough transparency in what teachers learn through their formal education and training that would help them prepare and make decisions for what’s best in the classroom.”

For Mitchell, another issue with the bill is its ambiguous language.

“You cannot have a blanket statement for everybody it just doesn’t work,” Mitchell said. “This interview looks different talking to someone in the North.”

“I’m concerned about who get to define what is controversial, and whose histories are important and whose histories are not important, so they get to be excluded,” Smith added.

Both parents also have concerns about the title of the bill itself and the use of transparency.

“Oh, it’s important to have this debate in this museum because the fact that it exists and it’s past may not be told if this bill had been passed prior to the creation of this museum,” Smith said. “This would have been lost in time.”

FOX Carolina did reach back out to the sponsors of the bill and have still not heard back yet.

We want to continue this conversation. To see the entire bill, visit https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess125_2023-2024/bills/3728.htm

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