Alberta government to release revised school library book ban

EDMONTON — The Alberta government is set to release this afternoon its revised school library book ban.

The new version would come three days after the government directed school boards to pause their work in complying with the original ministerial order.

School boards initially had until the end of the month to remove books containing what the province deemed sexually explicit content, including images, illustrations and written descriptions.

That led Edmonton Public Schools to compile a list of over 200 books it needed to remove, including literary classics such as Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

Premier Danielle Smith has said the Edmonton school division was being heavy handed and purposely misunderstood the intent of the order.

She said the government’s main concern was images of sexual content and that the policy was being revised so classics like Atwood’s would stay in schools.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2025.