Senate Considers "Back to Basics" Education Bill

The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday with a list of bills that could make big changes to the South Carolina school system.

A bill creating a school safety task force passed through the committee. This bill would create a special group made up of law enforcement, counselors and educators to be a resource for students and make schools safer.

Sex education has been a topic of discussion in the legislature this year and Wednesday a bill passed adding medically accurate reproduction education to the curriculum. It will be a more comprehensive approach to sex education. However, two senators placed a minority report on this bill making it harder to pass on the floor.

Cursive writing and multiplication table memorization by the fifth grade could become mandated. This bill is called ‘Back to Basics’ and it also passed favorable.

Sexual abuse and prevention instruction designed for all age groups could also be added to South Carolina school districts. This bill would design courses for each grade to inform students about sexual abuse and provide resources for the students.

The last bill that passed is one that creates alternatives to the high school diploma or GED test.

Two bills did not pass through the committee. The bill authorizing school personnel to give a special medicine to students having seizures had several concerns.

The Traditional Winter Holidays bill also had concerns about mixing religion and public education. That bill did not pass the committee.