Free Speech

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The framers of the Constitution believed that freedom of inquiry and free expression were the hallmarks of a democratic society. The First Amendment exists to protect speech, even the most offensive and controversial, from government suppression.

In the Courts

Since our founding in 1968, the ACLU-SC has fought to defend and advance the First Amendment rights of all South Carolinians. Some of our earliest cases involved the free speech rights of Vietnam War protesters. Today some of our most pitched free-speech battles involve the rights of teachers, librarians, and students.

In the Legislature

Again and again, lawmakers have sought to restrict the free-speech rights of their fellow South Carolinians on racial, political, and religious grounds. Year after year, we show up in the state capital to fight back against harmful bills before they become law.

In the Community

We are proud to help lead Freedom to Read SC, a statewide coalition that works to defeat unconstitutional book bans in schools and libraries. You can join the coalition email list here, follow us on Facebook, and find helpful links and more information via the League of Women Voters SC website.

Join Freedom to Read SC

The Latest

News & Commentary
Photo of the South Carolina Statehouse dome with a light blue tint

Statehouse Dispatch: March 30, 2026

Let’s bring some ‘No Kings’ energy to the South Carolina General Assembly
Press Release
Photo of Dr. Emily Taylor a white woman with short hair in a gray sweater and collared shirt, in front of a weathered brick wall with natural light

Ex-professor sues S.C. lawmakers for flagrantly retaliating against her speech

Dr. Emily Taylor was forced out of her position at Presbyterian College after writing an essay that upset lawmakers. The ACLU-SC is asking a court to uphold her First Amendment rights.
Issue Areas: Free Speech
Court Cases: Taylor v. Rankin, Bregy v. Clemson
News & Commentary
"Statehouse Dispatch: March 16, 2026." Photo of the South Carolina Statehouse dome tinted orange and yellow.

Statehouse Dispatch: March 16, 2026

Helping pregnant women in prisons, safe spaces for cops, and some budget antics
News & Commentary
"Statehouse Dispatch: March 2, 2026. This week under the copper dome." Background photo of the South Carolina Statehouse dome tinted dark orange and blue.

Statehouse Dispatch: March 2, 2026

Vaccine exemptions, photo ID for school enrollment, harming trans youth, and a ‘HALO’ for cops
Legislation
Jan 14, 2025

Police Buffer Zone (S. 175)

This bill would criminalize standing too close to police. It would impose up to a 60-day jail sentence on anybody who remains within a 25-foot radius of a law enforcement officer, after receiving a verbal warning, with the intent to "harass or taunt” the officer.
Status: Active
Position: Oppose
Legislation
Jan 13, 2026

Police Buffer Zone (H. 4763)

This bill would criminalize standing too close to police. It would impose up to a 60-day jail sentence on anybody who remains within a 25-foot radius of a law enforcement officer, after receiving a verbal warning, with the intent to cause the officer “emotional distress.”
Status: Active
Position: Oppose
Legislation
Jan 13, 2026

Classroom Censorship Policy (H. 4757)

This bill would allow parents to exempt their children from any classroom instruction in a public school if it conflicts with their “beliefs or practices regarding sex, morality, or religion.” It would also forbid classroom discussions of "gender roles or stereotypes, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation” unless a teacher gives parents five days' advance notice and receives affirmative consent from the parents.
Status: Active
Position: Oppose
Legislation
Jan 13, 2026

Anti-Protest Policy (S. 739)

This bill would define “riot” to include a violent protest and would allow a person whose property is destroyed or harmed to recover full damages against every person or “funding entity” engaged in a riot.
Status: Active
Position: Oppose