The Alberta Teachers’ Association cancelled Paul Brandt as a keynote speaker over a social media post referencing his own song lyrics about “independence.”

Paul Brandt, the founder of Not In My City, an organization focused on ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation. A long-time Alberta musician with mainstream appeal.

Apparently, he's too controversial.

Now, compare that to 2019, when Andrew Evans was booked as a speaker at a Calgary teachers’ convention.

Evans was convicted of second-degree murder for killing Nicole Parisien in Vancouver in 2007. According to court findings, he beat and strangled her and hid her body in bushes. His conviction was upheld on appeal. He served seven years before being released and later worked in addiction recovery.

He was invited to deliver what was described as a message of “hope.”

An educator quoted at the time said they were thinking about the victim’s family. CBC granted that educator anonymity out of concern their employment could be affected for speaking publicly.

That booking went through.

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Now look at the ATA’s positions on school materials.

When the province moved to establish age-appropriate standards for sexually explicit content in school libraries, the ATA criticized the approach and suggested “2SLGBTQIA+ materials” were being singled out.

The association has promoted classroom inclusivity resources that include materials like the “Gender Unicorn,” which explains gender identity, gender expression, biological sex and attraction on spectrums. That content has appeared in teacher guides aimed at fostering LGBTQ-friendly classrooms.

So the same organization that has defended the inclusion of explicit materials in elementary school libraries, and that previously booked a convicted murderer as a keynote speaker, determined that Paul Brandt crossed a line.

Brandt’s offence: lyrics about Independence.

That’s the decision. OK, weirdos.