Amanda Chapman, Alberta New Democrat Shadow Minister for Education, issued the following statement in response to the UCP government’s announcement on standards for school library collections
“Let’s be honest: there are far more urgent issues the minister should be focused on—like the fact that, under this UCP government, Alberta students are funded at the lowest level in the country, or the looming teachers' strike, the overcrowded classrooms, and the lack of educational assistants to support students with complex needs. These are the issues facing our education system that deserve the most focus.
“Of course, materials in schools should be age-appropriate. But once again, the minister is inserting himself into decisions that should be made by educators and librarians—if this government actually funded schools enough to keep them in the building.
“Our kids don’t need political theatre and press conferences about books. They need teachers, EAs, and a government that actually funds public education.”