How did stuff like this ever get into school libraries? Read More
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides wants to ensure it doesn’t happen again. In so doing, he opens the door to censorship just a crack — and that’s where it has to stop
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides wants to ensure it doesn’t happen again. In so doing, he opens the door to censorship just a crack — and that’s where it has to stop
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How did stuff like this ever get into school libraries?
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Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides put the question Monday by releasing excerpts from four graphic novels.
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Graphic is the right word. There are images of oral sex and hints of pedophilia. Explicit is too mild a word for some of the text.
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Most people will be shocked that this material is in school libraries frequented by kids as young as five or six.
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Predictably, Nicolaides is already being accused of banning books. We’re a long way from that point. The minister just aims to protect little kids from very explicit sexual images.
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But still, it’s a risky precedent that bears watching.
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A group of parents came to Nicolaides’ officials with the excerpts. His staff later confirmed the novels are available in K-12 schools in Calgary and Edmonton.
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This is an emotional subject for some parents, especially in rural Alberta. Many are convinced the schools are intentionally corrupting their kids.
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One of the novels, Fun Home, prompted a culture war in the U.S. last year, leading to bans in at least six states.
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Nicolaides took the sensational step of sending the images in an embargoed news release. He sure got our attention on a Monday morning.
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You won’t find the pictures in this publication. Those who complete an online opinion survey will have access.
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Nicolaides is also accused of being anti-gay and anti-trans. But he did not once mention LGBTQ or transgender, although those themes are in the novels (as well as straight sex).
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In short, he did not inflame feelings against any group. Nor did he advocate a ban on other material relating to gay and trans people.
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He stuck strictly to condemning graphic sex and self-harm.
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Nicolaides also noted government didn’t order removal of the books and in fact has no authority to do so. But he said he’ll consult and then develop a policy for schools.
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This is a mild approach, at least compared to the official rage aimed at school authorities in the U.S.
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If anything, Nicolaides will face criticism from some in the UCP base who don’t think he goes nearly far enough.