Ministerial Order on School Libraries

On July 4, 2025, Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides issued the ministerial order 030/2025, establishing new standards for school library materials in K–12 schools, specifically concerning sexual content. The order bans materials that include explicit sexual content and limits access to non-explicit sexual material for students below Grade 10. It also requires school authorities to develop policies, review collections and keep public lists of library materials. 
 
The broad reach of this ministerial order will lead to the removal of valuable and inclusive resources from our libraries. It will also discourage teachers from seeking out materials that interest and engage students.
 
It has come to the ATA’s attention that some school jurisdictions are reviewing or planning to review the contents of school library materials with the help of classroom teachers. To clarify, the ATA’s position is that this ministerial order does little more than increase teachers’ workload, politicize a non-issue and target vulnerable students.
 
Based on the above position, unless teachers are instructed to participate in the review of library materials through a lawful order from the board, teachers should not voluntarily engage in such activities. These actions highlight a lack of resources for school libraries and the reality that our schools cannot afford to hire teacher–librarians to develop, curate and coordinate library resources that support student learning in an age- and grade-appropriate manner.  
 
If you are a teacher who is instructed to do this work, even though the recommendation from the ATA is to follow a lawful order from the board, this time must count toward your assignable time limit. Please record the time you spend on this task. Teachers seeking support for discussions about this matter are encouraged to contact Teacher Employment Services at 1-800-232-7208.
 
WORTH SHARING
The ministerial order on school libraries is too broad and might result in removing valuable and inclusive resources from our libraries. It could also discourage teachers from seeking materials that interest and engage students. Teachers should not volunteer for library reviews because of the order. If you are directed to do so, the time must be counted toward your maximum allowable hours. If you have concerns about being directed to participate in the review or need assistance, please contact Teacher Employment Services at 1-800-232-7208.#WeAreATA