Late last week, news spread online about a list of more than 200 books slated for removal from Edmonton school libraries before October. This action was prompted by a directive from Alberta’s education ministry in July to eliminate books containing sexually explicit material from the shelves. The directive covered all grade levels from kindergarten to Grade 12.
Among the titles on the removal list were acclaimed works such as Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World.” The decision sparked significant backlash from authors, educators, and civil liberties organizations. In response to the criticism, the Alberta government announced on Tuesday that they would halt the removal order and revise their approach.
Brett McKay from the Investigative Journalism Foundation has been closely following the controversy surrounding the removal of sexually explicit content from school libraries in Alberta. He will delve into the underlying political motivations, the ensuing outcry, and draw parallels to similar book banning efforts in the United States.
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