A principal in southern Manitoba is taking legal action against a parent who attempted to remove books from school libraries, claiming that the parent made defamatory remarks on social media suggesting the principal endorsed the distribution of child pornography. Mary Reimer, the principal of Carman Collegiate, alleges that Raelyn Fox has persistently targeted the Prairie Rose School Division and her high school, even after initially raising concerns about sexually explicit materials in the library in 2023. Reimer is now seeking compensation and an injunction to prevent Fox from making statements implying that she supported providing pornographic content to students or engaged in promoting sexual exploitation or child pornography.
Fox initiated a petition in 2023 urging the Prairie Rose School Division to restrict access to books she deemed sexually explicit for minors in school libraries. Reimer asserts that some of the books highlighted by Fox as freely accessible at Carman Collegiate’s library, such as “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur, “Lucky” by Alice Sebold, and “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson, were either not in circulation or confined to a section reserved for mature students, despite Fox being informed of this.
The principal expressed concerns that Fox’s social media posts could fuel hostility and potentially incite violence within the community. Reimer is also seeking a court order for Fox to remove defamatory social media statements, including one alleging that the principal advocated for making pornographic content available to children. Fox countered these claims in her affidavit, stating that although some books were not physically shelved, they were still listed in the library catalog, and she had observed similar content during a visit to the library.
Additionally, the Canadian Library Challenges Database noted that the dispute at Prairie Rose revolved around approximately 20 titles, including sex education books and materials with LGBTQ+ content. Activists, including groups like Concerned Citizens Canada and Action4Canada, have increasingly targeted schools across Canada, alleging violations of child pornography laws despite legal protections for educational or artistic materials. Fox has extended her criticisms to other Manitoba school divisions through social media videos but has refrained from commenting on the lawsuit against her.
James Turk, director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, emphasized the importance of addressing concerns raised by advocacy groups while maintaining a balanced approach to book selection in libraries and schools. Turk warned against hasty removals of controversial materials as a response to pressure from parents, highlighting the need for transparent and accountable decision-making processes in educational institutions. Both Reimer and the Prairie Rose School Division have chosen not to provide comments on the ongoing legal proceedings.