Titles like The Handmaid’s Tale, Brave New World, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Perks of Being a Wallflower are to be pulled from library shelves at Edmonton public schools come fall, according to a document shared with CBC News.
An internally distributed list obtained by CBC News shows over 200 books deemed sexually explicit are slated for removal from library shelves for students in kindergarten to Grade 12. It comes after a policy from Alberta’s education minister outlines new rules governing books in school libraries as of Oct. 1.
“Following a division review process, the following books have been identified as containing explicit sexual content,” reads the Edmonton Public Schools memo.
Beyond Canadian classics, contemporary authors like John Green and Emily Henry also have titles on the list. Books with 2SLGBTQ+ themes like Gender Queer and Two Boys Kissing are also deemed sexually explicit and will be removed.
The list became public Thursday after being distributed to some educators. Copies were being shared on social media. CBC News independently obtained the list.
‘Several excellent books will be removed,’ says board
The list has not been officially released by the Edmonton Public School Board. But in a statement to CBC News, EPSB chair Julie Kusiek said there is a list of books that will be removed from schools as a result of the government’s ministerial order. Kusiek said the board shares concerns raised by community members and opposed the policy.
“As a result of the ministerial order, several excellent books will be removed from our shelves this fall,” the statement read.
“Division staff worked over the summer to ensure that only books that directly met the criteria in the ministerial order were added to the division’s removal list.”
CBC asked if the list it obtained a copy of was the one Kusiek referenced, but an EPSB spokesperson refused to confirm it was the same list.
Government to review list
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the government is aware of the EPSB list banning books for students in K-12 and will be reviewing it.
“We have asked Edmonton Public to clarify why these books were selected to be pulled, and we will work with them to ensure the standards are accurately implemented. We did not provide this list to EPSB,” the statement read.
Nicolaides also said the list does not differentiate between high school students and other, younger students. However, the list obtained by CBC includes more information: a second section with over 50 titles that applies to K-9 students only.
Materials with “non-explicit sexual content” will be unavailable in libraries for K-9 students and this includes titles like 1984 and The Great Gatsby.
“They may be accessible to students in grades 10 through 12 if the content is developmentally appropriate for the students accessing the material,” the EPSB memo reads.
Why some say it could create ‘culture of fear’
Nicolaides has repeatedly said that the policy is not about banning books, but putting rules in place for schools that lack standards for age-appropriate material.
“I’m dismayed and disappointed. I’m not at all surprised,” said Laura Winton, a former president of the Library Association of Alberta.
Winton said the policy leaves a great deal up for interpretation.
“The intention of this ministerial order was to remove materials from school libraries, and that’s exactly what it’s doing.”
Winton said just because a book has sexually explicit material doesn’t mean it’s not developmentally appropriate for teenagers.
“What specific book-banning lists are going to do is limit the amount of material that’s available to students, limit the amount of topics that can be discussed and just create a culture of fear in the classroom.”
