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Albertans could complete an online survey on the matter so the government would have an idea what people wanted: they would have two weeks to do so. A survey at the same time as standards are being developed? It looked like the fix was in. And indeed it was.

Nicolaides was particularly concerned about the age-appropriateness of four graphic novels 鈥� three of which include LGBTQ2S+ authors and themes 鈥� found in Calgary and Edmonton School libraries and by eagle-eyed parents鈥� rights groups.

A month later he came up with the rules that would govern school libraries. Books that featured: 鈥渕asturbation, including touching of a person鈥檚 own genitals or anus with a finger, artificial sexual organ or other substitute for a sexual organ鈥� were a no-no. But that was just the beginning of what was deemed unacceptable. Nicolaides then left it up to each school board in the province to scour its libraries and get rid of books that didn鈥檛 meet the new standards.

Well, the Edmonton Public School Board certainly went at it. Last week it came up with a list of over 200 books that would be taken out of their libraries. Among them were some well known, some would say revered, titles such as Margaret Atwood鈥檚 鈥淭he Handmaids Tale,鈥� which is having a highly popular televised revival since it was published in 1985, Maya Angelou’s 鈥淚 Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,鈥� Aldous Huxley’s 鈥淏rave New World,鈥� Alice Munro鈥檚 鈥淭he Lives of Girls and Women鈥� and Ayn Rand鈥檚 鈥淎tlas Shrugged.鈥�

Atwood responded with a social media post on X: 鈥淗i kids 鈥� Handmaid鈥檚 Tale (the book not the series) has just been banned in Edmonton 鈥� don鈥檛 read it, your hair will catch on fire! Get one now before they have public book burnings of it.鈥�

Dozens of additional books were also deemed inappropriate for students in kindergarten through Grade 9, including George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” I am sure you wouldn鈥檛 want to read either of those books to kindergarteners. But by Grade 8 or 9 students should be ready for the two classics.

Public School Board chair Julie Kusiek said Thursday anyone unhappy with the move should contact Alberta鈥檚 education minister as the board’s position is that the list meets the criteria set out by the government.

In an unrelated media conference, Premier Danielle Smith told reporters 鈥渧icious compliance鈥� by the Edmonton Public School Board led to the banning of such celebrated books. She also insisted the exercise 鈥渋sn鈥檛 a book ban.鈥�

But Smith had high praise for one of the books banned from Edmonton public schools; Ayn Rand鈥檚 “Atlas Shrugged,” the Bible of laissez-faire capitalists. She suggested it should be mandatory reading for high school students because it had so much to teach them about 鈥渆ntrepreneurs and the free enterprise economy.鈥� Smith read it, she says, when she was 22 and it has been a guiding light ever since.

That tells us a lot about her politics and her fascination with what is happening south of the border. In Florida, book bans in schools have become the norm. Recent changes to state law have empowered parents and residents to聽challenge聽school library books and required districts to submit an annual report to the state detailing which books have been restricted in their schools. Sounds a lot like Alberta.听

At least until Tuesday, when the government announced an update to its policy, placing a pause on banning books .听

In an email, Nicolaides, also added: “At this time, I ask that school authorities also pause the development and distribution of lists of school library materials.”

No reasons for the change of policy were given, but Albertans were told information was coming as soon as possible.

Perhaps Nicolaides and Smith ,聽which聽found that the majority of respondents don鈥檛 support the province setting standards for school library books. Even the majority of parents with children in school don鈥檛 support the new rules.听