Ten more books face school statewide ban as Beaufort County resident pushes for review

Ten more books could soon be banned from South Carolina public schools.

Beaufort County resident Elizabeth “Ivie” Szalai, who previously sought to remove 97 books at the district level, has asked the state to reconsider ten of them. The Instructional Materials Review Committee will review the books on March 13 at 1 p.m., with a final decision to be made at a later date by the full, 15-member state board. State approval could result in 21 books being banned.

Under Regulation 43-170, books can be banned in public schools statewide if they contain descriptions or visual depictions of sexual conduct. With local school district officials declining to act on Szalai’s challenges within the required 90-day period, the decision now rests with the state.

This isn’t the first time Szalai has challenged books. In January, the state approved Szalai’s recommendations to ban four books, marking the first time a Beaufort County resident successfully achieved a state-level book ban. Her efforts may lead to a ban of all 97 books on her original list — not just for the Beaufort County School District, but for every public school in the state.

Books being reviewed

The ten books being reviewed are listed below:

• “Collateral,” a novel by Ellen Hopkins, tells the story of a woman conflicted by her love for a Marine and her resentment toward the war he must fight

• “Empire of Storms,” a fantasy novel by Sarah J. Mass and the third book in the series “Throne of Glass,” depicts a young adult’s journey to reclaim her kingdom

• “Half of a Yellow Sun,” a novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, explores themes of moral responsibility, colonialism, ethnic allegiances, class and race during the Biafran War in Nigeria

• “Hopeless,” a novel by Colleen Hoover and the first book in the “Hopeless” series, shows the challenges of navigating new relationships

• “Identical,” a novel by Ellen Hopkins, dives into tough topics such as incest, drugs and attempted suicide

• “Kingdom of Ash,” a fantasy novel by Sarah J. Mass and the seventh book in the series “Throne of Glass,” depicts a young adult’s journey to reclaim her kingdom

• “Last Night at the Telegraph Club,” a young adult historical novel by Malinda Lo, explores a Chinese American teenager’ life as she explores her sexuality, societal pressures and the Red Scare

• “Living Dead Girl,” a young adult novel by Elizabeth Scott, depicts the sexual abuse of a young teenage girl as she attempts to escape from her predator

• “Lucky,” a memoir by Alice Sebold, recounts the author’s sexual assault and its impact on her life

• “Tricks,” a young adult novel by Ellen Hopkins, conveys the narratives of five troubled teenagers as they navigate through challenges like sex and drugs

Total books banned

The total books not allowed on any South Carolina public school shelves has risen to 11. They are as follows:

• “Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky*

• “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson*

• “Flamer” by Mike Curato*

• “Push” by Sapphire*

• “Normal People” by Sally Rooney

• “Damsel” by Elana Arnold

• “Ugly Love” by Colleen Hoover

• “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas

• “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas

• “A Court of Wings and Ruin” by Sarah J. Maas

• “A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas

The asterisk indicates the titles Beaufort County resident Szalai brought to the attention of the state review board in an effort to get them banned throughout South Carolina public schools.

The article has been updated to reflect new information that the Instructional Materials Review Committee will review the books on March 13.

This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 2:51 PM with the headline "Ten more books face school statewide ban as Beaufort County resident pushes for review."

Isabella Douglas

The Island Packet

Isabella Douglas is the accountability reporter for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette. A graduate of the University of Florida, she has spent time reporting for The Independent Florida Alligator, Fresh Take Florida and New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a concentration in criminology.