Could George Orwell’s ‘1984’ be banned from Alberta’s school libraries?

A month after ordering the removal of some books from school libraries, Alberta’s education minister is getting more pushback.

This time it’s coming from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA).

“The direct effect of this order is to force school authorities across the province to remove, from their libraries, a host of books deemed inappropriate by the state,” said Anaïs Bussières McNicoll, the director of the CCLA’s fundamental freedoms program. “So this order is precisely about banning books and this type of approach is textbook censorship.”

The CCLA detailed those concerns in an opinion piece published last week.

On Sunday, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides blasted the column, saying it was “riddled with incorrect information.”

He then accused the CCLA of “trying to weave a false narrative and go against Albertans who have said these books have no place in our school libraries.”

“The CCLA stands by its op-ed,” McNicoll retorted. “We believe that it is completely accurate and we note that the minister isn’t giving one example of how it is reportedly riddled with incorrect information.”

The Alberta NDP and the Alberta Teachers’ Association have also criticized the minister, saying he should leave decisions on age-appropriate materials to experts and educators.

Nicolaides has insisted only explicit sexual content is being removed, while sexual education material and religious texts will still be allowed. The minister did not agree to an interview with CityNews Tuesday.

But the CCLA argues the order, as written, will result in important bestsellers being pulled from the shelves, including “1984,” “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

“None of those books have been cited but there are passages in those books that will not pass muster with the regulations,” said Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University. “So this is going come down to the interpretation.

“Are we simply talking about graphic novels as the minister did? Or are we talking about naughty passages in books? If that is the case, then ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is going to get pulled off the shelves.”

Minister Nicolaides’ office did not answer CityNews’ questions about those specific titles.

Garrett Koehler, press secretary to the Ministry of Education and Childcare, said the CCLA is creating a “false narrative” by using “flagrantly incorrect” information.

“The standards we have created do not identify any specific books to be removed, and the intent of the new policy is to ensure books containing explicit sexual material like images of oral sex, molestation and penetration are not available to students,” Koehler said in an email. “The standards set clear direction that materials with explicit sexual content are not permitted in school libraries. They do not extend to non-sexual content or to materials used in sexual health education.

“We expect school boards will apply these standards in a way that upholds their intent, and we will continue to work closely with them to ensure a successful implementation. Alberta’s government firmly believes students can be curious, inquisitive, and exploratory without encountering sexually explicit content in their school libraries.”

The CCLA is vowing to keep fighting the minister’s order, and would not rule out a lawsuit.

School boards have until Oct. 1 to remove restricted books. The minister is giving them until Jan. 1 to come up with compliant policies and make them available to the public.