Library content order distracts from real issues, critics say

By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A provincial government order that Alberta schools remove sexually explicit materials from their libraries garnered condemnation yesterday as an example of costly and potentially harmful overreach. NDP education critic Amanda Chapman called the new standards a distraction from critical issues in Alberta’s education system.  “Of course materials in schools should be age appropriate,” she … Read more

Government alerted to no sexually graphic material so far in rural school libraries

By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter No examples of potentially age-inappropriate content from Alberta’s rural school libraries had landed on the education minister’s desk by Tuesday morning. During a roundtable with about 20 reporters and other rural media representatives, Demetrios Nicolaides confirmed that the examples of graphic content the government was alerted to originated from four books in Edmonton and … Read more

Alberta teachers send ‘unmistakable’ message to government with strike vote

By Kaiden Brayshaw, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Alberta teachers now have 120 days to begin a strike following a 95 per cent approval for a strike. Seventy-six per cent of registered eligible teachers voted, but not all eligible teachers are registered to vote, according to Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) president Jason Schilling. Schilling said that the governing body of the ATA, the Provincial … Read more

Willow Creek 4-H District holds achievement day at Agriplex

By Rob Vogt The 4-H beef clubs in Claresholm, Stavely/Parkland, and Fort Macleod held their district lamb, market beef and female shows at the Claresholm Agriplex on Tuesday, June 3.The final results were:Lamb show• Willow Creek District market lamb grand champion, Colby Symens, Fort Macleod; reserve grand champion, Sophia Slettede, Claresholm.• Willow Creek District Pen of five lambs grand champion, … Read more