Smith schools reporters on sexually explicit book removal order

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had to issue a “viewer discretion is advised” warning when exposing the type of sexually explicit content the government had prohibited from school libraries.

Source: Government of Alberta

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had to issue a “viewer discretion is advised” warning when exposing the type of sexually explicit content the government had prohibited from school libraries.

Smith pointed out to reporters that the kind of content included in the order was unfit for broadcast and social media. “I know that the cameras probably can’t print it on the evening news tonight without probably facing some kind of Broadcast Standards Council complaint. And I know that I would get delisted from Facebook for showing these kind of images on Facebook because they’re pornographic,” she warned.

She bashed the Edmonton Public School Board for its “vicious compliance.”

“If they need us to hold their hand through the process to identify what kind of materials are appropriate for senior high school students, what kind of materials are appropriate for junior high school students, and what kind of materials are appropriate for elementary school students? We will more than happily work with them to work through their list one by one, so we can be super clear about what it is we’re trying to do,” said Smith.

“We are trying to take sexually explicit content out of elementary schools. That is inappropriate for me to show on the television news at night, and so it is inappropriate for seven-year-olds to see. That’s what our objective is.”

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides also issued a statement on Thursday, critiquing the school board for trying to paint the province as the villain.

“Children should not be exposed to content like oral sex, sex toy use, or child molestation, and that is why we created this policy. The Ministerial Order is clear that school libraries are not permitted to include library materials containing explicit sexual content. Non-explicit sexual content may be accessible to students in Grade 10 and above, provided it is age-appropriate,” he said.

Nicolaides said he has asked the school board to clarify why it has selected specific books to be pulled, adding that the province had no part in its creation.

“Alberta Education will be reviewing the list and working with all school boards to ensure the policy is being implemented appropriately with the intent of ensuring young kids are not exposed to sexually explicit books,” he said.

The policy, which takes effect Oct. 1, 2025, has been met with strong opposition from Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, who has called the rules “purely performative.”

“This performative thing that the minister did, which didn’t actually change any of the guidelines, is purely performative. It’s a pure distraction,” Nenshi said last month. “Let’s actually fund education and let’s make sure the teachers don’t go on strike this fall.”

The province first began pushing back in May, after discovering books such as Gender Queer and Flamer in K-12 libraries.

The aforementioned books contain depictions of sex acts, child molestation, and sexually violent slurs.

New rules direct school authorities to prohibit offering any materials containing “a detailed and clear depiction of a sexual act” and must begin removing the content from library collections by this fall.

Smith has repeatedly defended the move as a commonsense response to parental concerns.

“I won’t apologize for protecting Alberta’s children from images they shouldn’t see at school,” Smith said in July. “We will continue to work with educators to ensure materials available to children at their schools are age-appropriate… full stop.”

The ministerial order previously ordered that, effective October 1, 2025, all K–12 school libraries must remove books with explicit sexual content. By January 1, 2026, the rest of the new standards—including policy changes and parental access to material lists—must also be in place.