Author prevented from presenting at her former Sask. school on book about relationship with her gay son
Ruby Remenda Swanson told she couldn’t present because of a Ministry of Education’s recent directive
Ruby Remenda Swanson was looking forward to presenting at her former high school in Humboldt, Sask., but the event was scrapped due to a directive from the Ministry of Education.
Remenda Swanson released her book A Family Outing in 2016. It primarily focuses on her relationship with her son after he came out as gay in 2002, in addition to exploring areas like LGBTQ history and human rights.
She said she wanted to write a book that provides families with hope and a realistic experience of what society is like today.
"For kids, it's really important to validate their immediate experiences, and it would be good if when they read the book, if they'd say, 'oh yeah this happened to me' and, you know, 'should I be expecting something like this?'" Remenda Swanson said.
Remenda Swanson, who now lives in Edmonton, has done more than 60 book presentations across Canada and even a few in Ukraine. She was hoping to do another at the Humboldt Collegiate Institute.
The author said she reached out to the school in September and there was immediate interest and enthusiasm from a staff member. She said she was told the staff member just had to confirm with administration.
Remenda Swanson said she received a message from the staff member around three weeks later thanking her for the offer, but saying she couldn't present her book because of a directive from Saskatchewan's Ministry of Education.
"I've been censored. I've been banned from my high school and there was just disbelief and shock," Remenda Swanson said.
The Government of Saskatchewan gave a directive to all school divisions in August 2023 dictating that only teachers can present on sexual health education in the classroom. It said third-party organizations can still present in classrooms as long as it's not about sexual health education.
"I don't know where my book fits in that, because it's not about sexual education," Remenda Swanson said.
"It is the story of a baby boomer who has a gay kid who came out in 2002 and what happened between the years 2002 and 2016."
The directive is still in place and continues to be reviewed, according to the Saskatchewan government.
Directive needs clarification
Asked about the incident, the Horizon School Division said a Humboldt Collegiate Institute staff member acted in what they believed was the best interests of the school and division, but did not involve school or division administration at any point, including in the decision to issue the statement referenced by Remenda Swanson.
Remenda Swanson said she has doubts about administration not being involved, because of the enthusiasm the staff member had initially shown.
She added that the Saskatchewan government's directive is confusing.
"I think it would be really important for the media, for parents, for the school districts to have clear directives on what is and isn't allowed," Remenda Swanson said.
"This is censorship."
Remenda Swanson said she held a nice book presentation at the Humboldt Reid-Thompson Public Library, but that no students were in attendance. She said students lost out on an opportunity to be supported or supportive.
"It's impossible for kids anywhere, never mind a small town, to come to a meeting or an event that's dealing with LGBTQ issues," Remenda Swanson said.
"If they can't go to their families, if their friends don't know what they're dealing with, then their school has to be a safe place."
The Horizon School Division agreed that schools need to be a safe place for all students. The division also apologized for any upset that this incident has caused.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from The Morning Edition and Joelle Seal