Ontario's public education system, under GECDSB, has recently mandated Jael Richardson's 'Gutter Child' as a study novel for Grade 12 classes. This decision concerns me deeply because the novel contains numerous instances of graphic sexual violence against minors. Such scenes are described in explicit detail, which is not only distressing, but also potentially harmful to young adult readers. I find the exploration of this topic particularly harmful within ‘Gutter Child’ as the narrative does not include any condemnation of such acts. Rather, it uses them as plot devices without any substantial evidence of character development, commentary, or conclusive provocation.

While it is crucial to explore complex social issues through literature, 'Gutter Child' fails to offer a constructive depiction of the aggressions it describes. Instead of promoting awareness or empathy, the graphic scenes in question desensitize students to violence. Gutter Child uses “techniques of omission and oblique references that groom audiences to overlook the social fact of sexual violence against girls” (Elizabeth Marshall and Leigh Gilmore 1). This passive approach to exploring social issues fails to stimulate critical thinking in students. This lack of evaluation conditions them to accept the atrocities within the narrative- thus enabling the antagonists’ actions.

We are calling on Ontario's Ministry of Education to reevaluate the literature curriculum and remove books containing scenes of explicit sexual violence against minors from required reading lists. This can be reinforced on a municipal scale through the authorization of the Greater Essex County District School Board. It is imperative that educational content promotes critical analysis  and deepens understanding within all students.

We urge educators and policymakers to consider alternative novels that address social issues with nuance and sensitivity, without resorting to graphic depictions of violence. There are countless books that stimulate critical thinking and foster empathy, suitable for inclusion in an educational setting. While we condemn the censorship and banning of books, providing independent study novels as an alternative to mandating media with mature themes could ensure that students have access to any literature without harmfully reinforcing explicit material.