Alberta Education Minister Revises Book Rules Amid Controversy

Alberta’s Education Minister, Demetrios Nicolaides, has released a list of schools that had four graphic novels flagged for review amid a controversial ministerial order. This order directed school divisions to ban books containing sexually explicit content, igniting significant public debate. The flagged titles, which include Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe and Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, were found in elementary school libraries in Calgary and Edmonton.

On September 26, 2023, Nicolaides shared the list on X, responding to requests from the public for transparency regarding the presence of these books in Alberta schools. He stated, “Over the past few months, I have seen several comments from Albertans asking for proof that these books existed in Alberta schools.” While he had initially opted not to disclose the list, he felt the need to provide clarity to the public.

The list includes institutions within the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and Edmonton Public Schools, encompassing high schools, junior high schools, and K-9 schools. Notably, CBE Chief Superintendent Joanne Pitman clarified that these books were not present in any single elementary school but were available in schools with middle school grades.

In July 2023, the Alberta government issued an order mandating the removal of books featuring sexually explicit content, including images and written passages, from school libraries by the end of September. However, Premier Danielle Smith announced a revision to the order on September 26, stating that the focus would now be solely on books containing graphic sexual images. This announcement followed a report from Edmonton’s public school division, which identified more than 200 books to be removed, including notable works such as The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.

Nicolaides emphasized the importance of preserving classic literature in schools while ensuring that inappropriate content is not accessible to students. He stated, “We are revising the order immediately to ensure that classic literary works remain in school libraries, while books with graphic pornographic images do not end up in the hands of children.”

Premier Smith articulated the government’s new approach, saying, “I’m going to be more explicit than usual so there is no misunderstanding this policy: 1. Get graphic pornographic images out of school libraries. 2. Leave the classics on the shelves. 3. We all know the difference between the items in 1 and 2.”

As the government prepares to roll out these changes, Pitman expressed optimism for the future. She noted, “Our common goals are developmentally appropriate books available to students to ensure that our students are critical thinkers and reflect diverse perspectives. The manner in which that will be laid out by the government is something that we look forward to clarity on.”

The timeline for the new ministerial order remains uncertain. Nicolaides indicated that a new version of the order is in development but did not provide specific details about the upcoming changes, stating, “We are currently working on a new version of the ministerial order and will not be commenting about specific changes at this time.”

This ongoing debate highlights the tension between educational content regulation and the desire for diverse literary representation in schools, as Alberta’s education system navigates a path forward.