Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Speakers, Events, Scholarship & Resources

First-of-its-kind study highlights gaps in access to justice in S.C. 

By: Heath Hamacher. SC Lawyers Weekly. October 7, 2021 (login access required. Check with a Reference Librarian if you don't have a login)

S.C. Representatives debate critical race theory, reveal they don't know what it is

By Win Hammond. The Daily Gamecock. Feb..6, 2022

"During the Jan. 26 meeting of the S.C. House of Representatives Education and Public Works (EPW) Committee, legislators discussed five bills that would punish schools and "protect" students from the uncomfortable pieces of American history based on the representatives' incorrect understanding of critical race theory (CRT)."

Measuring South Carolina's Justice Gap

A Report of the SC Access to Justice Commission, 2021.

This report describes the contours of the justice gap in South Carolina.  The goals of the report are to establish a template for annual reporting in a form that is useful for policymakers and providers, and to identify specific areas of need.

STATEWIDE LEGAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT

February 2023. 

The South Carolina Access to Justice Commission and the Center for Housing and Community Studies of the University of North Carolina Greensboro, together with their partners the South Carolina Bar and the NMRS Center on Professionalism at the University of South Carolina School of Law, came together in 2021 to launch this ambitious first-ever statewide civil legal needs assessment. A legal needs assessment is a rigorous study using a combination of qualitative, quantitative, and secondary data to evaluate the unmet civil legal needs of low-income individuals and families in South Carolina. The study team set out to learn about the life experiences of low- and moderate-income South Carolinians, the legal problems they encounter, and the gaps between their legal needs and the legal resources available to them.

South Carolina Access to Justice

The South Carolina Access to Justice Commission is made up of judges, lawyers, legislators, court employees, and community leaders from across the state. The commission meets regularly to identify barriers to access to justice in South Carolina, and explore possible solutions.

South Carolina  Legislature 124th Session, 2021-2022 "Anti-CRT" Bills

• House Bill H4799
  • A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING CHAPTER 35
     TO TITLE 1 SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS, PROHIBIT THE STATE, ALL POLITICAL
     SUBDIVISIONS, ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND PUBLIC
     INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FROM AFFIRMING, ADOPTING, ADHERING TO, OR
     INSTRUCTING ANY OF THE TENETS OF "CRITICAL RACE THEORY"; TO PROHIBIT THE
     UTILIZATION OR REQUIREMENT OF ADHERENCE TO THE TENETS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY
     AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT; TO PROHIBIT THE UTILIZATION OR REQUIREMENT OF
     ADHERENCE TO THE TENETS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY WHEN SPENDING PUBLIC MONEY
     PURSUANT TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONSOLIDATED PROCUREMENT CODE; TO PROHIBIT THE
     CONSIDERATION OF THE TENETS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY WHEN ADOPTING POLICIES AND
     PROCEDURES; TO PROHIBIT THE UTILIZATION OR REQUIREMENT OF ADHERENCE TO THE
     TENETS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY BY ENTITIES RECEIVING FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE
     GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO PROHIBIT THE STATE, INCLUDING ALL POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS,
     FROM OFFERING TAX INCENTIVES TO ENTITIES UTILIZING OR REQUIRING ADHERENCE TO
     THE TENETS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY; AND TO PROVIDE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS;
     BY ADDING ARTICLE 5 TO CHAPTER 29, TITLE 59 SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS, PROVIDE
     TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF CIVICS AND RELATED COURSEWORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAY
     NOT BE COMPELLED TO DISCUSS CERTAIN TOPICS OR AFFIRM CERTAIN BELIEFS; TO
     PROHIBIT CREDIT FROM BEING AWARDED FOR CERTAIN STUDENT LOBBYING ACTIVITIES; TO
     PROHIBIT THE USE OF PRIVATE FUNDING FOR CURRICULUM OR TEACHER TRAINING
     CONCERNING CIVICS AND RELATED COURSEWORK; TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN CONCEPTS FROM
     INCLUSION IN CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION; TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL WEBSITES MUST
     INCLUDE CERTAIN INFORMATION AND MEANS OF PROVIDING RELATED FEEDBACK CONCERNING
     INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND CURRICULA IN USE; TO PROVIDE RELATED REPORTING
     REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO
     PROHIBIT THE TEACHING, USE, OR PROMOTION OF THE 1619 PROJECT OR CERTAIN OTHER
     TENETS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE WITHHOLDING OF FUNDING FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH
     CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE  REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
     THAT SEEK OR RECEIVE FEDERAL GRANTS RELATED TO HISTORY OR SOCIAL STUDIES
     EDUCATION; TO ESTABLISH THAT INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND CURRICULA ARE NOT
     EXEMPT FROM THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT; TO PROVIDE WHISTLEBLOWER
     PROTECTIONS; AND TO ESTABLISH CONSEQUENCES TO NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THIS ACT; AND
     BY ADDING SECTION 10-1-220 SO AS TO PROHIBIT FLAGS AND BANNERS THAT INTEND TO
     PROMOTE A SOCIAL OR POLITICAL CAUSE FROM BEING FLOWN FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
• House Bill H4325
  • A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
     59-29-12 SO AS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND PUBLIC
     INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING MAY NOT DIRECT OR OTHERWISE COMPEL STUDENTS TO
     PERSONALLY AFFIRM, ADOPT, OR ADHERE TO THE TENETS OF "CRITICAL RACE THEORY" OR
     PROVIDE RELATED INSTRUCTION, AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMINOLOGY.
• House Bill H4343
  •  A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, TO ENACT THE "SOUTH
     CAROLINA ACADEMIC INTEGRITY ACT" BY ADDING ARTICLE 5 TO CHAPTER 29, TITLE 59
     SO AS TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SCHOOL WEBSITES MUST
     INCLUDE CERTAIN INFORMATION AND MEANS OF PROVIDING RELATED FEEDBACK CONCERNING
     INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND CURRICULA IN USE; TO PROVIDE RELATED REPORTING
     REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO
     PROHIBIT THE TEACHING, USE, OR PROMOTION OF THE 1619 PROJECT OR CERTAIN OTHER
     TENETS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE WITHHOLDING OF FUNDING FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH
     CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND TO PROVIDE  REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC
     SCHOOLS THAT SEEK OR RECEIVE FEDERAL GRANTS RELATED TO HISTORY OR SOCIAL
     STUDIES EDUCATION.