You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

It should never be controversial to say this: School is not the place for graphic sexual content — no matter the orientation, no matter the agenda.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Yet, here we are.

Alberta’s government is stepping in with a straightforward, reasonable response to a situation many parents would find deeply disturbing. After reports emerged that books containing explicit sexual content — including depictions of oral sex, molestation, self-harm, and suicide — were circulating in public school libraries, Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced plans to create province-wide standards for what is appropriate for students. The new rules aim to be in place for the next school year.

This is not about banning books or silencing voices. It is about one thing: setting reasonable boundaries for children in schools, where learning should be the goal — not social engineering.

Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of The Winnipeg Sun's Daily Headline News will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

Some critics are already trying to shift the narrative. Unions, special interest groups, and opposition politicians are crying censorship, suggesting the government is targeting the LGBTQ community. That is not what’s happening. The Alberta government has been clear — this is not about identity, it’s about content. If a book contains graphic sexual imagery or depictions of acts that most parents would not want their children exposed to, it should be........

© Winnipeg Sun