If you're unfamiliar with the context, here's my take: instead of collaborating with duly elected and trained Alberta school boards, school administrators and librarians (who have provincial jurisdiction over choosing appropriate school-aged reading materials), our provincial government leader, Premier Danielle Smith, yet again capitulated to the pearl-clutching anti-library lobbyists/zealots currently sweeping across North America intent on removing books they deem "woke."
Using new guidelines from the Premier's Education Minister, one school district's list of 200 banned books was published just before school reconvened and the understandable backlash was swift and far-reaching so now this government has an international public relations disaster to contend with, lol. Titles banned included classics by Maya Angelou, Judy Blume, and Canada's favourite, feisty, freedom-loving Great-Aunt, Margaret Atwood.
At first the government admonished the school district labeling their list an act of "vicious compliance" claiming it was never was a book ban. Uh, nope to that fake news. The school district was simply following the new guidelines...cut to now...the government is amending the order and "leaving the classics on the shelves."
Please know that this is not who we Albertans are. Like all democratic citizens, we value freedom of expression. Of course, school materials should be age appropriate; however, lobbyists don't get to decide for us.
Imagine in 2025 thinking books are corrupting children. If children have phones connected to WIFI, well (insert face palm emoji here) we all know what they may encounter...so, I'd much rather they read (almost) any book they want. Even if, as Margaret Atwood joked in her first reaction to the list, "it might set your hair on fire" kids, lol.
One more cherry-on-top to this well-deserved political drubbing: there's been a spike in sales of these banned books, lol. I've read lots of these titles, but I too will be shopping in the new "vicious compliance section" and continue reading while my hair burns.
26 comments:
I read some of those authors and I have no hair to burn. :)
It all gets so tiresome, doesn't it? People who spend their time judging and disapproving are on the wrong track.
Sadly, I haven't been keeping up with the news in Alberta, so thanks for filling me in, and I really really appreciate MA's rejoinder!
Y'all over in Alberta have as many reasons to be embarrassed by your premier as we do here in Saskatchewan about ours. Yikes. Honestly, who votes these dickylickers in?!
Ha! Clever comment...maybe that's why I less hair too? Ha!
So, so tiring.
Me too.
People not paying attention? People paying attention to stupid shit? Probably both.
Yuck! It's not just here in the U.S. :(
As my grand-turkeys say, yuck-a-dee-dee.
Danielle Smith, and the UCP, are a bunch of lying bigots. They make me sick and I can't believe we have to deal with this shit everyday.
Codex: When did we both start swearing?
So what's the current status? Did they back off?
Tired. Will be back because BOOOOOOKS!
Of course I had heard about this, but I just shook my head and thought, :Alberta.” I know, not Alberta exactly, but still Alberta, y’know.
Speaking of bigotry, how about those Alberta Next panels, eh? Yikes.
Yes, I know what you mean: political theatre is very on brand for us.
Swearing helps. They backed off: now it's just a few graphic novels? Insert face palm emoji here.
I wasn't aware that you too up north are dealing with this issue. I remember being in 10th grade and Catcher in the Rye was banned. They had all these parents in a tizzy. Our school won. It remained on the list of reading material. Of course it was for the seniors. I, couldn't get my hands on that book any faster if I tried. If it was banned then dang it I was reading it. Now I've seen my nieces and nephews choose those on the banned list first and going to the city library to check 'em out. I loved it when they told me that. I encourage their rebellion. I'm that kind of Aunt.
Codex: I've certainly read books that I was too young for but 1984 was one that I could not put down as a young teen. Still think catcher in the rye was a whiny self absorbed brat.
In the early 1980s, I started working as a bookseller in Ireland, conservative catholic Ireland it was then (no longer thank heavens), and we received monthly lists of banned books, issued by the government and the church. We could import most banned books easily enough and we were not the only shop but I think we were the best shop, anyway. The Index on Censorship magazine (still in print and online) was a bestseller.
You made me smile..........I agree what kids see on the internet is a lot worse than what's in most of these books!!
I think if people are offended then they shouldnt read the books, simple as that.
Yes, to Aunties like you.
Omg. I had no idea. Perfect example.
...I thought that this only happened here.
Stupidity has no borders. It's astounding that people actually believe they have the right to censor what we read.
I am astonished. I actually had to stop and check where Alberta is, because, surely, Canada is far more sensible than (parts of) the USA.
This way madness lies. Rewriting history follows, and before anyone realises, we are all living in totalitarian states.
I love Margaret Atwood's writing - Oryx and Crake is one of my favourites.
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