Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Premier Danielle Smith has doubled down on her government’s controversial decision to remove sexually explicit material from Alberta school libraries, saying the move is necessary to protect children from being exposed to inappropriate content.
Speaking on her province-wide radio show, Your Province, Your Premier, Smith responded to criticism suggesting education funding and classroom overcrowding should take precedence over library book content. Smith acknowledged the importance of broader education concerns but insisted that shielding young children from pornographic material is also a vital issue.
“Pornography is a problem for young adults,” she said. “If I can’t describe some of these images on-air without offending listeners, then seven-year-olds certainly shouldn’t be looking at them.”
Smith’s comments came days after Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced that all sexually explicit materials must be removed from school libraries by October 1. Nicolaides emphasized the move is not a blanket book ban but rather a policy aimed at ensuring age-appropriate content in educational settings.
The government’s decision was sparked by the discovery of four graphic novels in school libraries in Calgary and Edmonton that officials deemed inappropriate for young readers. The titles, written by American authors, include Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, Blankets by Craig Thompson, and Flamer by Mike Curato — all of which explore coming-of-age themes, gender identity, and sexuality.
Smith encouraged listeners to review the material themselves to understand the rationale behind the policy better.
“Go look at the images,” she said. “People will be scratching their heads wondering how these books ever made it into elementary schools.”
The new rules, announced Thursday, also define specific sexual content that will not be permitted in school libraries. This includes explicit depictions of masturbation, sexual penetration, or physical sexual contact.
By January 1, 2026, all Alberta school boards must implement updated policies on how books are selected, reviewed, and approved for school libraries.
However, the initiative has drawn criticism from educators and civil liberties groups. An online government survey conducted before the announcement revealed that most Albertans did not support new content restrictions in school libraries. Critics have warned that the policy could disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ literature and students.
Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, said in a statement that the policy could increase the administrative burden on teachers and politicize school libraries.
“This creates a solution to a non-issue and risks further marginalizing vulnerable students,” Schilling said.
Smith also addressed broader school-related concerns on her radio program, including violence in classrooms — an issue she said teachers have raised frequently in consultations.
“We’re hearing that violent students are making life unsafe for our teachers in some classrooms. That’s something we’re also working to address.”
As the October deadline approaches, debate continues to mount over whether the Alberta government’s library policy is about protecting children or controlling narratives.
