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National Post

Statement from Mandy Lamoureux regarding the schoolbook ban

Article content Article content EDMONTON, Alberta — CUPE 3550 represents 3,500 employees (including library workers) at the Edmonton Public School Board. President Mandy Lamoureux issued the following statement regarding Alberta Education Minister Dimitrios Nicolades's policy on 'age appropriate books' in school libraries. Article content 'The problems in Alberta education today stem from underfunded schools. Today's announcement is a transparent attempt to distract from funding issues with dubious culture wars. Article content The government should talk to parents, who will tell them book censorship does nothing to solve the real issues students face. Article content The education minister is nearly silent about the fact schools are laying off staff as Jordan's Principle funding dries up. The Minister also avoids discussing overcrowding in classrooms, funding levels that don't match inflation, support for special needs kids, and staff wages that don't keep up with the cost of living. Article content Instead, Minister Nicolades bans books with gay and queer themes. Article content Experts agree that in an age when teens can access pornography at almost anytime, young people need literature with healthy depictions of sexuality. Sex is something kids know about, and need to learn about in thoughtful and respectful ways. Article content The UCP plan to divert attention from the failures of their own education system will only hurt teens who need adults to actually be adults about sex.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content