Danielle Smith’s government announced its ministerial order on book bans is being rewritten after a “misunderstanding” by school boards…
School may have just started this week, but the Alberta Government is already having to redo an assignment. Danielle Smith’s government is rewriting a ministerial order it issued this summer banning certain books from school library shelves. The change of heart comes on the heels of widespread criticism after a leaked book list from the Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB) suggested the removal of 221 titles under the order’s current wording. Some of those books included classic texts that have been in school libraries for decades.
“We’re not interested in seeing a new book list published every single day that is purposely misunderstanding what it is we’re trying to do,” Smith said at a press conference regarding the pause on the order.
She clarified the government is targeting books containing “sexually explicit content,” with examples such as Alison Bechdel’s Fun House and Craig Thompson’s Blankets being given. The rewrite will ensure classic books like The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, mentioned by the EPSB, remain in libraries. Smith has maintained this is “not a book ban,” but about ensuring students have access to age appropriate materials.
Under the original order, books with sexually explicit content included those with images, illustrations, audio and written passages. Schools had to comply and have books removed by October 1, 2025.
What books were on the Edmonton Public School Board’s list?
Discussion and criticism on the ministerial order has been happening since its announcement. However, it seems the leaked list by the EPSB was the last straw.
“Following a division review process, the following books have been identified as containing explicit sexual content,” the EPSB document read. “These materials are to be removed from all libraries accessible to students in Kindergarten through Grade 12.”
On the list were 221 novels, graphic novels, novellas and manga from over 90 authors. Titles included Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, The Color Purple by Alice Walker and IT by Stephen King.
The classic title causing the most outrage among people, including its author, was Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. The celebrated author spoke about the potential removal of her award-winning dystopian text on social media.
On August 29, she wrote, “Hi kids…#HandmaidsTale (the book not the series!) has just been banned in #Edmonton…don’t read it, your hair will catch fire! Get one now before they have public book burnings of it.” Her tweet has received over 440,000 views and 3,400 retweets.
On August 31, she published a short story on X that she called “suitable for 17-year-olds in Alberta schools.” The story ends with Smith losing her job and becoming a “commander’s wife” like Serena Joy in The Handmaid’s Tale. “The Handmaid’s Tale came true and Danielle Smith found herself with a nice new blue dress but no job. The end.” The news of Atwood’s rebuttal made international headlines.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) also released a statement regarding the leaked list. “The banning of books is a hallmark of censorship, not democracy,” said Howard Sapers, Executive Director of the CCLA. “By targeting works like The Handmaid’s Tale, the government is not protecting students. Rather, it is depriving them of the opportunity to learn, think critically, and engage with literature that reflects important social and political realities.”
Are 2SLGBTQI+ books being targeted?
The list released by the EPSB also contained several 2SLGBTQI+ texts. Many critics have expressed that the ban would specifically target stories by 2SLGBTQI+ and BIPOC authors.
“Banning books that confront issues of gender and sexuality silences marginalized voices and erases important stories that help students understand the world around them,” the CCLA also stated in response to the list. “Our school libraries must remain places where diverse voices are heard and respected, not silenced.”
A document obtained by the Investigative Journalism Foundation (IJF), through a freedom-of-information request, found the Ministry of Education drew inspiration for its list from the United States. The IJF found the government consulted book lists submitted by Moms for Liberty and “parental rights” groups. Many of the challenged books targeted 2SLGBTQI+ and BIPOC authors.
What 2SLGBTQI+ books were on the Edmonton Public School Board list?
According to the leaked list, some of the 2SLGBTQI+ titles mentioned include:
- Flamer by Mike Curato. A story following Aiden Navarro as he enters a self-discovery journey, navigating friendships, dealing with bullies, and spending time with a boy he can’t stop thinking about. This book was on this year’s American Library Association’s (ALA) “Most Challenged Books” list.
- Fun Home by Alison Bechdel. A graphic memoir following the author’s life and her fraught relationships with her father.
- Gender Queer by Maia Kebab. An award-winning graphic memoir following the self-identifying journey of the author as gender queer. It looks at the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and more. In the United States this book has landed on the ALA’s “Most Challenged Books” list four consecutive times.
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Follows Charlie, an introverted and observant teenager, through his freshman year of high school. Also on this year’s ALA list.
- Tricks by Ellen Hopkins: Follows five troubled teenage protagonists and tackles issues of sexual activity and drug use. Also on this year’s ALA list.
- Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan. Follows two 17-year-old boys who set to break a Guinness World Record by kissing for 32 hours.
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