Alberta has updated its regulations regarding books in schools to prohibit materials containing explicit visual depictions of sexual activities, excluding written descriptions of such content. This new ministerial order, announced on Monday, revises a previous directive from July that instructed school personnel to remove library resources featuring sexual acts, including textual passages.
Following the initial order, Edmonton Public Schools compiled a list of 226 books to be taken off shelves and classrooms, which included popular titles like “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Color Purple,” “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” “The Godfather,” and “Jaws.”
The controversy surrounding the school board’s removal list prompted Alberta’s Education and Childcare Minister, Demetrios Nicolaides, to pause and reevaluate the rules. Nicolaides emphasized the importance of restricting materials with highly graphic and explicit visual representations of sexual activities, leading to the updated ministerial order focusing on this aspect.
The new directive eliminates the reference to “written passage” and introduces the term “visual depiction,” defined as any visual or graphic representation like drawings, paintings, illustrations, photographs, digital images, or video files. However, books featuring non-sexual depictions of bodies, such as anatomy books, are exempt from this regulation.
The first section of the updated ministerial order recognizes the significance of students accessing “classic literary works,” removing any age-based distinctions and the provision allowing high school students access to non-explicit sexual content with vague descriptions of sexual acts.
Although the government extended the compliance deadline to January 5, 2026, from the original October 1 date, all school boards, charter schools, and independent schools in Alberta must submit a list of materials for removal by the end of October. The regulations do not prevent children from bringing personal books to school, emphasizing transparency in disclosing library contents.
Critics have expressed concerns about the potential impact of the order on LGBTQ+ representation and its messaging on abnormality. Despite the revisions, some individuals remain dissatisfied, citing complexities in the text and the potential for rework once the ministerial order takes effect.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith criticized the school board for excessive compliance, while teachers highlighted challenges in cataloging classroom libraries due to time constraints at the beginning of the school year. The directive now requires schools to inform parents about classroom library contents without mandating teachers to prepare lists, offering alternatives like sharing photos or allowing families to browse the shelves.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association President, Jason Schilling, acknowledged the improvements but stressed the need for additional support for educators. Schools are still required to maintain a public listing of available literature, except for teachers’ personal collections, and establish a policy by January for reviewing literary materials upon request.
Edmonton Public School Board expressed its commitment to collaboration with the province and families to ensure educational library resources meet students’ needs, promising to adjust the banned books list in alignment with the latest order.