Let’s Chat: Banning of books leaves more questions, concerns

By Linda Tooth on July 23, 2025.

In 2020, Statistics Canada reported that “Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-19-year-olds, second only to all unintentional injuries (accidents) combined, including unintentional drug overdose”.

To bring this a little bit closer to home, according to the Alberta Suicide Prevention Infographic created by Alberta Health Services, 63-67 per cent of LGTBQ2S+ youth, ages 14-25, report thoughts about suicide.

As a parent or guardian, the thought that your child is contemplating suicide must be terrifying.

If you were approached by a youth in crisis, maybe you are a librarian, a teacher, or maybe a parent, and could offer them the opportunity to read a semi-autobiographical graphic novel that could potentially offer them the opportunity to read one person’s experiences regarding suicide, would you?

Flamer by Mike Curato is the third book mentioned by the UCP government here in Alberta as one that will be banned in school libraries, effective Oct. 1. I have read this book, and it is the topic of conversation for this article.

On the cover of Curato’s book, author Jarrett. J Krosoczka, author of National Book Award Finalist Hey, Kiddo states “this book will save lives.”

In just over 350 pages, Curato takes us through the journey of Aiden who is a bi-racial youth spending time at summer camp before starting high school. He deals with bullies, taunts due to his multi-cultural heritage and sexual orientation. What youth has not dealt with that, whether at summer camp or in school?

I question if those in power who are trying to ban certain books from school libraries have even read the books in question? Or let us go a step further and ask if those in power have spent time in a classroom in Alberta to see the struggles the youth of today are facing?

I will state that I have not been in a K-12 classroom, but I have spent the past 20 years in the post-secondary classroom and if it is not students who are struggling, it is the parents of K-12 students who are.

What really annoys me are a few things.

First, teachers have voted 95 per cent in favour of strike action. Why is the UCP government not working towards ratifying a contract for our teachers so that the students’ school year will not be disrupted?

Secondly, Alberta has surpassed the United States in active measles cases. What is the government doing about that?

Thirdly, according to the website Town and Country Today, James Johnson, chief of staff for the Minister of Education and Childcare stated, “Can we see which books are banned the most and see if they’re in [our libraries] where appropriate?”

Johnson was referring to the search done by his staff using a link from the United States.

Can we not produce our own thoughts and processes in Alberta? Why are we piggy backing off of the United States’ ideas?

PEN Canada, a non-profit organization that fights censorship and defends freedom of expression states, “Removing books from libraries will not shield children from sexual content-especially in an era where youth spend hours daily on their phones. But it will inflict real harm by denying students access to diverse, meaningful stories, and by teaching them that censorship is an appropriate response to material they may find uncomfortable.”

Have a Meowtastic Day and please keep reading!

Linda Tooth is a part-time communications instructor at Medicine Hat College

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