Canadian education is under attack

BY ADRIAN REECE

Education historically has put forth the idea of free thinking and innovation. The things we were allowed to teach and to learn were widespread and covered a huge range of topics. Compulsory education and elective education was a lot more versatile previously. Over the last few years, the systems that govern what we learn have tightened the reins on what information is given in the school system. Is there a reason for this?

Conspiracy theorists would allude to their being an agenda of indoctrination among the parties that seek to shape young minds in the images of what benefits the current society.

Book banning is one of the ways that systems limit knowledge in society. Canada in particular has two notable times they banned books. In 1997 the Surrey School District in British Columbia banned three children’s books from being used in schools, and as late as 2024, Waterloo Catholic School District removed four books from their schools.

Different provinces have instituted their own versions of education restrictions. Vancouver has restricted access to a digital archive of diverse books, film and art while London, Ontario has banned the teaching of the award-winning novel “The Book of Negroes.” Education is slowly becoming less freeing and liberating and more confining and restricting. The opposite of what knowledge is intended for. When people are subjected to limited information they are limited in their decisions and ultimately their capabilities.

“Provinces are instituting their own educational bans where they see fit.””

Today there are certain titles that are taught at the discretion of the educator, particular examples are “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood. These two titles aren’t taught as openly due to criticism regarding the content of the books themselves. Concerns of themes in these books have put these writings in the grey area of what should be taught.

The grey area of books is a slippery slope. With proper guidance the controversial ideas that exist within certain books create an open mind and encourage the exploration of new thoughts and conceptions. Some people may fall under the idea that these concepts can drive people to repeat the negative aspects that exist in these books. History has shown us that that is quite the opposite.

The infamous quote “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it,” is ever prevalent when considering stopping people from learning certain things. Books and historic information need to be presented in order to shape young minds. With the guidance of a careful educator the youth learn the consequences of actions both positive and negative and are more likely to stay away from certain paths that already have set end points within the history of those who have come before us.

In streamlining education to be “safer” we are actually creating a more dangerous atmosphere and opportunity for children to grow into adults who repeat the mistakes and errors of the past. Nothing in this world is brand new, and many things are repeated simply through the lens of ignorance.

While the Canadian government doesn’t have a set policy on the banning of certain streams of knowledge, in not making all streams open for consumption, they are in the aspect of inaction allowing their citizens to be limited in their facts, and their self-awareness.

Truth exists in the annals of history and the horrors of past events, but the beauty of knowledge exists in the acquisition of knowledge and the truth that allows people to make more informed decisions and do better than their predecessors. The good far outweighs the “bad” in the case of acquiring controversial knowledge. It is the responsibility of the educators to guide youth through controversial topics, understanding the consequences of their actions and ensuring they are given the opportunity to understand where certain choices may lead and where their decisions can take them.