Smith says anyone against her government’s flagging of ‘graphic’ books must not have seen the material

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on June 27, 2025.

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

The province says its findings from a 12-day survey found a majority of the approximately 80,000 participants support the UCP providing schools boards with clear and consistent guidelines for selecting age-appropriate books and graphic novels in school libraries.

Late in May, Education Minister Demetrios Niccolaides announced the public survey to collect feedback following an investigation conducted by Alberta Education that led to the identification of a few books that contain sexual content in school libraries.

According to the results of the online poll that was open to Albertans between May 26 to June 6, 62 per cent believe parents and guardians should have a role in reporting or challenging sexually explicitly content in school libraries.

Forty-two per cent believe no students should be able to access materials with sexually explicit content in school libraries, and 40 per cent believe those materials should be restricted to middle and high school aged children. Though only 18 per cent of respondents believe students of all ages have access to current reading materials found in school libraries.

During a press conference Tuesday, Premier Danielle Smith was asked if she was concerned by respondents who don’t support the UCP’s book ban.

“I have to wonder if the individuals who responded that way had a chance to look at the materials. We made them available with a warning about graphic depiction,” said Smith. “And if we have to make a warning label for adults to observe materials, then it should be pretty obvious that six, seven and eight year olds shouldn’t be seeing those materials.”

The government has provided the names of four books found in unnamed school libraries in Calgary and Edmonton which have been identified as inappropriate.

‘Gender Queer,’ a graphic novel by Maia Kobabe, ‘Fun Home,’ a graphic novel by Alsion Bechdel, ‘Blankets,’ a graphic novel by Craig Thompson and ‘Flamer,’ a graphic novel by Mike Curato have been found in a range of K-9 and high schools across the province.

A link to the reference material contains short segments taken from the four graphic novels that depict nudity, oral sex and writing deemed not age-appropriate.

“There’s no benefit in giving graphic sexual material to children before they’re old enough to understand what they’re seeing,” adds Smith. “I think we’ve taken the prudent approach and I would hope anyone who has any doubt should go online to look at the materials.”

The province plans to use the data collected from the online survey, as well as data collected during a separate public opinion polling of 1,500 adults in May, to develop a province-wide set of standards that will direct schools boards with selecting and managing materials in school libraries.

“Parents, educators and Albertans in general want action to ensure children don’t have access to age-inappropriate materials in school libraries,” said Demetrios Nicolaides, minister of education. “We will use this valuable input to guide the creation of a province-wide standard to ensure the policy reflects the priorities and values of Albertans.”

14
-13