Edmonton Public Schools enlisted 11 teachers last summer to aid in the assessment and removal of sexually explicit literature following a directive from the Alberta government, as revealed in recently acquired documents by CBC News. The hiring of these teachers was in response to a ministerial order issued by Alberta Education in July, mandating the elimination of sexually explicit materials from school libraries.
A list of books circulated internally, obtained by CBC News in late August, included titles like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Brave New World,” which sparked criticism from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who accused the school division of excessive compliance. The directive was later updated in September to specifically prohibit works containing explicit depictions of sexual acts.
Documentation obtained through an Access to Information request from Edmonton Public Schools discloses the measures taken by the school division to adhere to the ministerial order. The records, totaling 329 pages, indicate that 11 teachers were hired to evaluate books between July 28 and August 22, with a total project cost of $43,000. The teachers, sourced from various schools within the division, were required to have a background in English, comparative literature, library and information science, or related fields.
The teachers were tasked with reviewing 500 books, focusing on titles likely to contain romantic or sexual content intended for young adults and adults, popular titles at junior high and high schools, and books that had received the Young Reader’s Choice Award. Each review had to include the rationale for adding the book to the library, any past challenges to the title, excerpts containing sexual content, and a written justification aligning with the ministerial order.
A minimum of three teachers had to reach a consensus on how each book should be classified regarding its sexual content. The urgency to complete this task before the October 1, 2025 deadline was emphasized, with communication from a supervisor stressing the critical timeline.
Following the controversy surrounding the initial list of books, which drew responses from acclaimed author Margaret Atwood, the ministerial order was revised to focus on removing books featuring explicit images of sexual acts. Books with textual descriptions of sexual acts were permitted to remain in schools, with a compliance deadline set for January 5.
While some school divisions have acknowledged removing books, specific titles have not been disclosed. Edmonton Public Schools previously mentioned having a list of 34 books earmarked for removal. The fate of removed books was addressed by spokesperson Kim Smith, stating that the division had not disposed of any books, leaving individual schools to decide on storage options.
Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, in response to inquiries about the released documents, emphasized the policy’s objective of safeguarding children from inappropriate content and clarified that school boards have autonomy in managing removed books. Nicolaides expressed concerns over the challenges in implementation but reiterated the policy’s focus on child protection.