New schools library rules cause more harm than good

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending her government’s move to ban books that allegedly contain “sexual” content. It is important that we protect children in their formative years from explicit content. However, this move is drastic, and banning books is nothing short of media censorship. Allowing the government to have control over access to non-educational material will open the doors to further censorship in schools. Who decides what is “safe to read” for children? There is a lack of clear criteria within these regulations, which will undoubtedly lead to further censorship. The Smith government could also disproportionately remove 2SLGBTQIA+ books from schools, as seen in the United States (U.S).

Children should obviously not be able to access any book in a library. There is a lot of educational material meant for older people that cover concepts that kids cannot handle. However, deciding to completely ban books because of the material they might contain is a clear overreach. Although the government does control education, it should not have the right to completely remove material from schools. Removing books entirely shows that the government does not really care about education.

Most schools cover a wide range of age groups, and a book that might be inappropriate for a seven-year-old won’t be inappropriate for a 13-year-old. Not to mention the countless teachers who find value in the books of school libraries. Banning books sets a dangerous precedent for future censorship.

Purging literature in schools is a blatant disregard of the meaning of education. Education is supposed to empower people. Schools teach children to think critically, independently, and to seek the truth. Banning books in schools proves that Alberta’s government does not truly care about these principles. It is trying to establish a specific narrative that it believes is best.

Allowing the government to have this control will empower it to exert further control over schools whenever it disagrees with the materials in the curriculum. If we remove books that cover difficult concepts, we will actively harm students’ growth. Not to mention that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects access to information. By limiting access to information in schools the Alberta government is dangerously close to violating our right to information.

Banning books is a slippery slope. Today it is explicit sexual content. Tomorrow it could be topics of gender, race, or even political dissent. When governments are allowed to restrict what people read, the scope of censorship will expand. For example, several U.S. states have targeted books mentioning gender and sexual orientation. Banning books of this topic sends a message that different identities are inappropriate or shameful. Considering the diversity of Alberta, we cannot afford to isolate or shun children. Banning books solely on moral or sexual grounds will undermine academic integrity and critical thinking. We have the right to access diverse viewpoints and information, the government should not be able to undermine that.

Continuing to ban books will harm the sense of belonging that children should feel in educational facilities. We need to protect children from inappropriate reading materials, but banning books in schools will do more harm than good.