Our Read-In took place at the Pendleton First Baptist Church on February 26, 2026. The event was led by Cassie Owens Moore, the 2024 SC School Library Program of the Year winner and a Global Learning Fellow.Cassie is a school librarian from Oconee County and produces CEWL Books. Each episode features a banned book. CEWL…
October 7, 2025 – Advocates from across the state came to Columbia to attend the S.C. Board of Education meeting. During public comments, several advocates reminded the board that it is Banned Books Week and that South Carolina leads the nation in the most statewide book bans in schools. Thank you to these and other…
October 7, 2025 – COLUMBIA – South Carolina public school librarians and students filed a lawsuit today asking a federal court to block enforcement of the state’s unconstitutional book banning regulation and a classroom censorship memo issued by the state education superintendent. Read the complete ACLU news release here: https://www.aclusc.org/en/press-releases/students-and-librarians-take-sc-superintendent-court-over-school-censorship-rules
Greg Wilson/Anderson ObserverRead online at: https://www.andersonobserver.com/news/pendleton-event-elevates-right-to-read-books-of-all-kinds A steady stream of families and individuals made their way into the Pendleton Community Center on Saturday for “Read and Rise,” an event elevating an honoring the importance of the freedom to read books without government interference. “This event is held on this particular day because……. Read the entire…
Recent meetings (September 2025) illustrate the importance of our advocacy: Anderson County Library Board meeting Many thanks to Jamie D., Jane M., Robert M., and Mona F. for speaking. There were four other PAAIF members filling seats. Jane reminded the board that the majority of those speaking in the past months are against censorship and…
July 29, 2025 / info@scjustice.org Written by Elizabeth Foster, Intern at SC Appleseed. Reprinted here with permission of the author. In our last blog post, SC Appleseed’s Education Policy Attorney Jennifer Rainville covered how to be in the know about your board’s meetings and policies. In this blog, SC Appleseed Intern Elizabeth Foster explains how…
July 14, 2025 / info@scjustice.org Written by Jennifer Rainville, Education Policy Attorney at SC Appleseed. Reprinted here with permission of the author. Things can be kind of overwhelming these days in the world of K-12 education. One question that I get asked a lot is how do I get engaged? What actions can I take…
Pendleton Area Advocates for Intellectual Freedom is hosting a screening of “Banned Together,” a documentary of the grassroots efforts of three high school students in Beaufort, South Carolina fighting against the ban of 97 books in their school district. Pendleton Area Advocates for Intellectual Freedom appreciate and thank First Baptist Church of Pendleton for providing…