SC parent sought to ban ‘Hunger Games’ in middle schools. What the Midlands board decided
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South Carolina Book Bans
The state now has 22 books banned from all public school classrooms and libraries, becoming the nation’s leader in book bans.
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Middle school students in one Midlands school district will still be able learn about Katniss Everdeen’s struggle against President Snow.
The Lexington 1 school board voted to keep “The Hunger Games” as a book taught in the district’s schools, following a hearing on a parent’s request to restrict the popular novel to high-school-level classes.
The decision follows a 30-minute hearing Tuesday afternoon, which the parent who made the initial complaint did not attend. Board members upheld the decision made by Lakeside Middle School and a district-level review committee that recommended retaining the book.
The 2008 novel by Suzanne Collins introduced the world to a young girl from a poor family forced to compete against other teenagers in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death. The young adult novel spawned multiple sequels and a blockbuster Hollywood film series — as well as opposition from some parents to its dark themes.
Erica Bissell, Lexington 1’s teaching and learning director, led the district’s review of “The Hunger Games.” While the committee noted the book depicted violence and includes a reference to nudity, the book doesn’t contain any explicit sexual content that is banned by state policy. It was found to be educationally suitable as part of a course on dystopian literature, Bissell said, and the Lakeside student in question was offered an alternative text, “The City of Ember,” about young protagonists in a post-apocalyptic underground city.
“The committee respects parental input but individual preferences can’t overrule the interests of the majority,” Bissell told the board.
Although the parent didn’t speak Tuesday, board chair Kathy Henson said board members received a binder of material she had submitted about her book challenge. Two other parents and a student also spoke during Tuesday’s hearing and encouraged the board not to remove the book from schools, which the board ultimately moved away from.
“One of the beauties of this country is the freedom it allows people to have,” said board member Christopher Rice. “I can respect that the complainant has concerns with their particular student, but I feel the opt-out honors their freedom to make their own choices.”
Board members said Tuesday they were still open to hearing other parental complaints about other classroom material.
“If you’re a parent, don’t hold back from doing it again,” said board member Nicholas Pizzuti. “We’ll look at everything separately.”
Board members voted 5-1 to retain the book, with Kathryn McCown voting against and McKenzie Flashnick abstaining.
Under a new policy this year, the complaining parent can appeal the board’s decision to the State Board of Education, which could ban a book from all public schools statewide if it overrules a local board’s decision.
This story was originally published February 26, 2025 at 7:34 AM.
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