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December 17, 2024

New Poll Shows Americans Are Committed to Educational Freedom

A newly-released national poll conducted by yes. every kid. foundation. shows the steadfast support Americans have for education policies that prioritize choice and flexibility.   Have you ever thought of the K-12 education system as flexible?  Most Americans don’t, according to these poll results.  And yet Americans (and parents in particular) crave flexibility in education, and
December 16, 2024

Education Without Censorship: How the FORUM Act Could Shape SC Higher Ed

College students that attend school in South Carolina deserve to exchange ideas freely and to have their speech fiercely protected. South Carolina should aim to be a place where all students from all backgrounds may speak their minds without censorship. This vision may become a reality this legislation session with the FORUM Act.   Representative Bill
December 12, 2024

The First Step to Save SC School Choice

“I’ve been asked, ‘Why are you in such a rush? Why are you in such a hurry? What’s the urgency on this?’ And I’ll be really clear about that. You’ve got a couple thousand students out there that are right in the middle of the school year. They have made that transition to an independent
December 9, 2024

SC’s New Chief Justice Shuts Down Magistrate Court Conflicts of Interest

This morning, South Carolina’s new Chief Justice John Kittredge released a new administrative order that brings long-awaited reform to South Carolina’s magistrate court system and shuts down potential for conflict of interest in magistrates’ rulings on cases involving lawyer-legislators. Palmetto Promise has written extensively over the last few years about the need for reform in
December 3, 2024

Holding Labor Unions Accountable: Secret Ballots Only!

South Carolina is recognized nationwide as a state that emphasizes the importance of free enterprise. Businesses are attracted by our competitive tax incentives, the ability of our technical colleges to provide a skilled workforce, and our strong right-to-work culture. But economic development incentives used to lure businesses into the state—often tax breaks—are not open-ended. It
November 18, 2024

Food Truck Freedom: A New Era in Culinary Mobility

The food industry has evolved over the past decade to make room for its newest competitor: the food truck. This innovation has gained a massive audience, with food trucks found in cities of all sizes and many small towns. Entrepreneurs and chiefs have embraced this new culinary adventure as a way of opening their very
November 12, 2024

RELEASE: Ravenel B. Curry III Donates $500,000 to Palmetto Promise Institute’s ESTF Families Rescue Fund

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ravenel B. Curry III Donates $500,000 to Palmetto Promise Institute’s ESTF Families Rescue Fund COLUMBIA — Palmetto Promise Institute today announced a generous $500,000 donation from South Carolina native Ravenel B. Curry III to the ESTF Families Rescue Fund, a fund established to support families impacted by the recent SC Supreme Court
November 5, 2024

Status Report: 2024 Election Security in South Carolina

Happy Election Day, South Carolina! This is one of the most important days in our nation, where we the people, have the opportunity to make our voices heard and cast our ballots for who we want to represent us and lead our country, state, and community. Voting is a right and privilege we should never
October 23, 2024

School Choice Is Still Alive In South Carolina Despite Recent Setback

This article by Patrick Gleason originally ran in Forbes. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D) and other opponents of expanded school choice celebrated the South Carolina Supreme Court’s September decision in Eidson et al. v. SC Department of Education et al, a ruling which blocked implementation of the state’s new Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF), an education
October 21, 2024

The History and Future of Curriculum Transparency in South Carolina

In 1988, after considerable and impassioned debate, the South Carolina General Assembly passed the Comprehensive Health Education Act. This law was a step forward in ensuring that all students across the Palmetto State receive health education that is both age-appropriate and comprehensive. Walking a legislative tightrope, the new statute created a standard to guide their