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Teachers

Alberta Government Pauses Book Ban in Schools Amid Growing Controversy

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Alberta government has temporarily paused its order to remove books deemed "sexually explicit" from school libraries, a move that Premier Danielle Smith vowed would be short-lived. The decision comes as the province's teachers' union continues to negotiate with the government over contract issues, including a proposed 12-per-cent salary increase over four years. The book restrictions have become a contentious issue, with the Edmonton Public School Board recently listing over 200 books that would need to be removed under the new measures, including classics like "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Alberta government has paused its order to remove books deemed "sexually explicit" from school libraries, citing the need for further clarity and direction.
  • Premier Danielle Smith has vowed that the pause will be short-lived, and the government will revisit the issue once the ministerial order is rewritten.
  • The decision comes amid a growing controversy over the book restrictions, with the Edmonton Public School Board listing over 200 books that would need to be removed under the new measures.
  • The government has required parents to opt-in before students under 16 are taught about gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality, and has imposed Oct. 1 deadline for schools to remove any material considered explicit sexual content by the province.
  • Authors of graphic novels have spoken out against the book restrictions, saying their work has been taken out of context and represented as explicit material.
  • The pause has been welcomed by some, including Naheed Nenshi, Leader of Alberta's New Democrats, who described it as a distraction from the government's backfired policies.

Statistics:

  • Over 200 books have been listed by the Edmonton Public School Board as needing to be removed under the new measures.
  • 4 graphic novels have been cited by the government as examples of material that should be removed.
  • 163 words was the length of Margaret Atwood's satirical short story that compared Premier Danielle Smith to a character in her novel "The Handmaid's Tale".
  • 12% is the proposed salary increase over four years that the government has offered to the teachers' union.
  • Half a million individual book titles are being reviewed by the Calgary Board of Education as part of its efforts to comply with the new measures.

Sources:

  • "Alberta’s Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides" (The Globe and Mail, c. 2023)
  • "Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood takes aim at Alberta's book ban" (The Globe and Mail, c. 2023)
  • "Alberta teachers’ union rejects 12% salary offer, proposes strike or lockout" (The Globe and Mail, c. 2023)
  • "Egale Canada and Skipping Stone Scholarship Foundation launch constitutional challenge against Alberta" (The Globe and Mail, c. 2023)

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