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Hamilton Spectator
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Pornography is a problem': Smith defends new rules for Alberta school libraries
Alberta's premier says 'pornography is a problem for young adults' in remarks defending her government's move to remove sexually explicit content from school library shelves this fall. Danielle Smith was responding to criticism received via text on her provincewide phone-in radio program on Saturday that a lack of education funding and overcrowded classrooms were more important issues than library content. Smith replied it's important the province make sure young children are exposed to age-appropriate material, and that they're 'not exposed to pornographic images early.' On Thursday, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said sexually explicit content must be gone from school library shelves as of Oct. 1, but noted the move is not about book banning. The new policy stems from an announcement Nicolaides made in May after he said four inappropriate coming-of-age graphic novels were found in school libraries in Edmonton and Calgary. Smith encouraged people to go online themselves and view explicit images from the books, telling listeners they'll be scratching their heads wondering how they got into elementary schools in the first place. 'If I am not permitted to describe to you the kind of images that seven-year-olds are seeing because it would offend your audience, then we shouldn't be showing them to seven-year-olds,' Smith said. 'So yeah, I think it's important that we make sure that young children are exposed to age-appropriate material only and that they're not exposed to pornographic images early.' On the question of priorities, Smith said her government is holding consultations with the public and teachers about other issues in schools, such as violence in the classroom. 'That is the biggest issue that we've been hearing from teachers, that in some situations, violent students are making life unsafe for our teachers,' Smith said. The novels in question are written by American authors: 'Gender Queer' by Maia Kobabe, 'Fun Home' by Alison Bechdel, 'Blankets' by Craig Thompson and 'Flamer' by Mike Curato. When Nicolaides announced plans for new rules back in May, Smith posted on social media that 'parents are right to be upset.' As part of the announcement Thursday, Nicolaides issued a list of specific sex acts that can't be explicitly described in library books alongside new rules for what students can read. No students will be allowed to access what the government calls explicit sexual content, including detailed depictions of masturbation, sexual penetration or sexual physical contact. By Jan. 1, new school board policies must be in place dictating how books are selected and reviewed. An online government survey before Thursday's announcement found that the majority of respondents across demographics don't support the government setting new standards for school library books. Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling said in a statement the new rules will add to teachers' workload, politicize a 'non-issue' and target vulnerable students. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 12, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Pornography is a problem': Smith defends new rules for Alberta school libraries
Alberta's premier says 'pornography is a problem for young adults' in remarks defending her government's move to remove sexually explicit content from school library shelves this fall. Danielle Smith was responding to criticism received via text on her provincewide phone-in radio program on Saturday that a lack of education funding and overcrowded classrooms were more important issues than library content. Smith replied it's important the province make sure young children are exposed to age-appropriate material, and that they're 'not exposed to pornographic images early.' On Thursday, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said sexually explicit content must be gone from school library shelves as of Oct. 1, but noted the move is not about book banning. The new policy stems from an announcement Nicolaides made in May after he said four inappropriate coming-of-age graphic novels were found in school libraries in Edmonton and Calgary. Smith encouraged people to go online themselves and view explicit images from the books, telling listeners they'll be scratching their heads wondering how they got into elementary schools in the first place. 'If I am not permitted to describe to you the kind of images that seven-year-olds are seeing because it would offend your audience, then we shouldn't be showing them to seven-year-olds,' Smith said. 'So yeah, I think it's important that we make sure that young children are exposed to age-appropriate material only and that they're not exposed to pornographic images early.' On the question of priorities, Smith said her government is holding consultations with the public and teachers about other issues in schools, such as violence in the classroom. 'That is the biggest issue that we've been hearing from teachers, that in some situations, violent students are making life unsafe for our teachers,' Smith said. The novels in question are written by American authors: 'Gender Queer' by Maia Kobabe, 'Fun Home' by Alison Bechdel, 'Blankets' by Craig Thompson and 'Flamer' by Mike Curato. When Nicolaides announced plans for new rules back in May, Smith posted on social media that 'parents are right to be upset.' As part of the announcement Thursday, Nicolaides issued a list of specific sex acts that can't be explicitly described in library books alongside new rules for what students can read. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. No students will be allowed to access what the government calls explicit sexual content, including detailed depictions of masturbation, sexual penetration or sexual physical contact. By Jan. 1, new school board policies must be in place dictating how books are selected and reviewed. An online government survey before Thursday's announcement found that the majority of respondents across demographics don't support the government setting new standards for school library books. Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling said in a statement the new rules will add to teachers' workload, politicize a 'non-issue' and target vulnerable students. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 12, 2025.
Edmonton Journal
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Alberta announces ban on explicit sexual content in school libraries
Article content There is no additional government funding for school boards alongside the new policy. Article content The new standards will apply to public, separate, francophone, charter, and independent schools, but not to municipal libraries located within schools or to materials chosen by teachers as learning resources. Article content 'Our primary concern from the very beginning has been around material that's really graphic and around sexual content, and making sure that it's age appropriate,' Nicolaides told Postmedia in an interview last month. Article content More than 77,000 Albertans submitted responses to the province's survey on establishing provincewide standards, with a majority saying they were not supportive of that move. Article content The survey cited four books as examples of materials that the ministry found objectionable for children: Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, Alison Bechdel's Fun Home, Craig Thompson's Blankets, and Mike Curato's Flamer, all of which deal with 2SLGBTQIA+ themes, and have sexual imagery and language. Article content Article content Responses from parents of school-aged children made up just under half of all responses to the survey with 'interested Albertans' representing the next biggest cohort at one-third of replies. Article content Nicolaides has said the policy is in reaction concerns he had heard from parents 'for quite some time.' Article content A freedom of information request from Postmedia seeking correspondence from Albertans objecting to certain books in schools produced fewer than five emails going back to the spring of 2023. Article content The Christian lobby group Action4Canada has claimed credit for 'behind-the-scenes' lobbying of the Alberta government. Article content Nicolaides confirmed ministry officials met with the group last fall, but downplayed the impact of those meetings. Article content 'They had brought some materials to our attention so that helped to get a better understanding of the nature of materials that was available in schools. But, you know, this is a topic that I've talked with many Albertans about.' Article content Article content — With files from Cindy Tran and Steve Sandor Article content Article content
Calgary Herald
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Library officials, education minister meet over book controversy
A delegation from the Library Association of Alberta met Tuesday morning with provincial Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, warning that the government is moving into dangerous territory if it dictates what books should be weeded out of school libraries. Article content 'Our key message was that we feel that decisions about what belongs in school libraries and learning commons are best made by trained educators and librarians,' said Laura Winton, past president of the Library Association of Alberta and the organization's lead on this issue. 'Obviously, he's not in agreement with our viewpoint.' Article content Article content Article content In May Nicolaides said the government would be consulting the public about possible standards that could be implemented when it came to books that are available in school libraries. Four books were used as examples of materials that the ministry found objectionable due to their sexually explicit content: Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, Alison Bechdel's Fun Home, Craig Thompson's Blankets, and Flamer by Mike Curato. The four books that were highlighted by Nicolaides deal with 2SLGBTQIA+ themes. Article content Article content After the education minister made the announcement, conservative Christian Canadian lobby group Action4Canada said that members of its Calgary chapter had met with Nicolaides and had highlighted the four books in question. Nicolaides confirmed he had met with Action4Canada, but said his decision to look at placing standards on what can and can't go in school libraries was based on wider feedback he received from parents. Article content Article content Winton said that if Nicolaides goes through with a ministerial order, which she said was discussed in their meeting, Alberta would be the only province where the government set limits on what goes in school libraries. Article content Article content She said if school libraries are asked to do collection reviews, it will tax a system that is already short-staffed. Article content 'It's really intensive to do a collection review. Weeding is time-intensive and requires trained staff.' Article content Nicolaides said he and the librarians disagreed on many points. Article content 'School boards and parents have been clear, they do not want these types of books on a library shelf where a young student could access them, full stop,' he said in a statement issued Wednesday. 'I'm disappointed the Library Association is advocating against the involvement of parents. Article content 'During my meeting with the Library Association of Alberta, I asked them if they could provide me with evidence-based, peer-reviewed research and literature that defends exposing young students to oral sex, pedophilia, child molestation, self harm and other extremely sexually explicit material. They had no answer and no evidence to back their claims.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon ‘freedom to read' library bill heads to governor's desk
Gender Queer, a graphic memoir by Maia Kobabe, was the most challenged book in America in 2022, according to the American Library Association. (New Jersey Monitor) A bill to protect access to school library books that discuss different religions, sexualities, disabilities and a number of other topics, and to ensure they are not banned on the basis of those themes, is headed to Gov. Tina Kotek's desk, where she's expected to sign it. Senate Bill 1098 passed the Oregon House of Representatives Monday on a 34-21 vote. It would prohibit school libraries from removing books on the basis of their being about, or by, a member of a protected class as defined in Oregon's anti-discrimination in education law. Those protected classes include: race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age and disability. Under the bill, parents, guardians or school staff would still be able to file complaints about textbooks or library material. Oregon would join at least eight other states — including Colorado, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Vermont, Minnesota, Maryland and Washington — who have adopted similar legislation either protecting library workers from lawsuits or prohibiting libraries from restricting access to books with diverse viewpoints, according to the American Library Association. State Rep. Travis Nelson, a Portland Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, said on the House floor it is about celebrating the freedom to read and standing against discrimination, censorship and the erasure of diverse voices. The bill already passed the Senate in March in a 18-10 vote. All House Democrats present Monday voted in favor of the bill. Only one Republican, state Rep. Cyrus Javadi, of Tillamook, voted in favor. Javadi on the House floor shared the story of his son, who grew up in rural Oregon and who read books to help him understand his identity as a young gay man. 'You can remove a book if the content is too graphic,' Javadi told lawmakers. 'You can remove it if it's not age appropriate, but you can't remove it just because the author is gay or Muslim or Black or because the story centers someone that makes you uncomfortable.' In 2024, 151 books were challenged in Oregon schools and libraries — the greatest number since 1987, when the Oregon State Library began tracking attempts to remove books. According to the American Library Association, the most challenged books in the country are books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes related to sexual assault. While lawmakers in Idaho, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and others have adopted policies meant to prevent minors from accessing some of those books, Oregon's bill seeks to maintain the availability of them in public libraries. 'Let's not teach our kids that their stories are too controversial to belong on the shelf,' Javadi said. Multiple Republicans spoke in opposition to the bill, sharing concerns that it undermines family values, the public school system and existing non-discrimination policies. 'The entire bill is redundant, unnecessary, inflammatory, politically, sexually motivated and a threat to family values,' Rep. Boomer Wright, R-Reedsport, said. 'Preventing books that promote radical ideologies with regard to gender and sexuality from getting into the hands of minor children is an obligation, not an option. This bill is not in the best interest of children and families.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
