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MAY 12, 2006 at 3:52 AM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: Gwinnett Daily Post via Yahoo! News
A challenge to remove all of JK Rowling's Harry Potter books from the library shelves of Gwinnett Public Schools in Georgia has failed
.
The school board there voted Thursday to keep the books available. It was the final action for a petition that began in November and culminated at an April clash in which nearly 100 people attended to voice their opinions.
Laura Mallory, a parent of three children at an elementary school in the district, argued that the books encouraged witchcraft and demonic activity. It was later revealed that she had never read the books. School board officials said the process for determining the series' suitability was unbiased, and they sought mainly to decide if the books were obscene or not.
Still, removing the books would have opened the school system to "ridicule by many of its citizens as well as citizens of the nation," Su Ellen Bray told the Gwinnett Daily Post.
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Muggle
Points: 43
Xtreme_witch says:
THEY TRIED TO REMOVE HARRY POTTER???? i live next to gwinnett (i live in fulton county). Thank goodness it didn't work. i hope they don't try to take harry potter from fulton!!!
Posted May 16, 2006 at 8:11 PM EST
Hogwarts Psychologist
Points: 4236
Patronus Wiz says:
I am glad this is now solidified. I mean, I really don't agree with pulling books. I think parents have a right to guide what kids have access to, but they shouldn't impose on others.
Posted May 16, 2006 at 11:05 PM EST
Witch
Points: 504
Livian Silver says:
I am so glad that wasn't passed and that common sense prevailed.
Like I said to someone the other day "Not everyone is smart".
It's always the same group of people - those who make up their own minds about something without any information and definitely no facts. They just want to bring attention to themselves and make life difficult for everyone else in an attempt to make themselves feel better. Those people should just be silent.
Like many people have said before me, HP is about doing the right thing, and there is no mention of religion anywhere in those books. And the most important thing, it is fiction.
Posted May 17, 2006 at 2:34 AM EST
Witch
Points: 754
Griselda Marchbanks says:
A library should have every book that is out there especially the Harry Potter series. The people that go there have a choice as to whether or not they read them. These people that complain should stop thinking that they know what's best for everyone and get a life. Stop being so politically correct we live in a democracy.
Posted May 17, 2006 at 5:23 AM EST
Student
Points: 228
Jlgrigsby says:
Im glad they lost. They are just butts.
Posted May 17, 2006 at 8:23 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1383
Tabitha Black says:
I'm really glad those people didn't succeed. I can't imagine any reason why anybody would want to ban any book! It's a book!
Posted May 17, 2006 at 11:46 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1065
GeeMessy says:
There are smart people in that school board! AllRrrgith! This kind of news really get annoy me just the fact that people are so ignorant. What is wrong with those people? goodness me ah bless them they never read the books.
Posted May 17, 2006 at 1:38 PM EST
Points: 865
superduperpotter says:
HAHA!! How dare they even think of removibng the Harry POtters from those shelves.
Posted May 17, 2006 at 2:41 PM EST
Squib
Points: 102
dracos*girl says:
Its good that it ended! Why judge HP when you havent even read the books!
Posted May 17, 2006 at 4:59 PM EST
Prince Charming
Points: 8429
Knight and Shining Armor says:
I could see why some parents didn't want their kids to read the books. I started to read them in grade 5 though!!!
Posted May 17, 2006 at 6:58 PM EST
Student
Points: 251
MrsViktorKrum says:
When I start teaching HP is going to be the book we read in class. I will be know as that freak HP fan teacher. i will be loving every minute of it.
Posted May 17, 2006 at 7:56 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 338
Dangerous Dai says:
Yahoooooooooooo!!!!!!! I am so glad they didn`t prohibit the books, they are like my blood, i can`t live without it...
Posted May 17, 2006 at 10:36 PM EST
Student
Points: 215
Mischief Manager38 says:
"It was later revealed that she had never read the books."
That says it all, the first irritant, the woman doesn't even know what she's talking about.
Second, MAGIC IS NOT EVIL! BOOKS ABOUT MAGIC ARE NOT EVIL! Heck, there's more magic in the Bible than in all the Harry Potter books combined, what is she complaining about? Also magic is a neutral force, it is the heart of its weilder that defines whether it is good or evil, and since they've been over for around 300 years I had seriously hoped people would give up on witch-hunts.
Sure, people are entitled to their opinions, but when they try to force their unfounded ideas on everyone else (in other words making what they think POLICY) then they cross the line, others shouldn't suffer for some Nobody's stupidity.
I have no respect for this Ms. Mallory, intollerance of something you don't even know is far more evil and demonic than witchcraft could ever be.
Posted May 18, 2006 at 2:14 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1008
PhoenixThestral says:
Very well done. Why should HP be removed?!? That is just outrageous, guys.
Posted May 18, 2006 at 12:35 PM EST
Daughter of Dark Arts
Points: 2904
True Slytherin Princess says:
I wonder if these people who claim that "the books encouraged witchcraft and demonic activity" have ever READ the books!
I may be going out on a limb here but... the books never mentioned the Devil ONCE in all 6 books, has it? If so, then the hardcore Potter fan right here has missed something that people who've NEVER read the books have found.
I think they all make the fuss because LORD Voldemort, the Dark LORD.
The witchcraft accusations is just a smoke screen. There are TONS of books about witches. I'm reading a series about witches. Has that series ever been attacked? NO! So why go after Potter when the series has brought MILLIONS of children back to reading when they were all consumed in their video games and such?
HP is the most popular children's series since RL Stine's Goosebumps series!! Remember those books and now popular they were 10 years ago? Now it is HP that children all over the world are reading.
As long as they are reading something and not destroying vital brain cells by sitting in front of the TV all day (yes, watching TV can destroy brain cells, my Psych professor told us that), why attack the series!?
These people who say that the books promote witchcraft and devil worship need to READ THE BOOKS before they open their mouths and make stupid accusations that have no proof whatsoever.
Posted May 18, 2006 at 2:53 PM EST
Student
Points: 272
allison_Potter says:
How can anyone try to ban the harry potter books if they haven't even read them stupid people
Sort me!
Posted May 18, 2006 at 3:54 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1357
phoenixfire_HG says:
Good!!! The books shouldn't be banned from schools! after all, they are just fiction. Now, its one thing if youmake it part of the ciriculum. That forces a kid to read it on behalf of their grades, but its another thing to just have it on a library shelf.
Posted May 18, 2006 at 8:04 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1574
Polgara7 says:
Bravo. I am so glad that for once, wisdom has triumphed over narrow mindedness. I find it laughable that the complainant had not even read the books. Talk about ignorance!
Posted May 19, 2006 at 12:21 AM EST
Witch
Points: 792
blossom says:
I wonder how many of the people on the petition to ban the books, had even read them.
It is scary how single minded some people can be.
Posted May 19, 2006 at 6:32 AM EST
Witch
Points: 732
Dumbledores~Fave says:
I cant believe people would get this worked up about the Potter series, its safe and shows people the differences between good and evil!!
leave it alone people!!
Posted May 19, 2006 at 2:20 PM EST
Squib
Points: 105
eddy2442 says:
Thank god for that and if parents think harry potter is evil then they should only stop there own child(ren) from reading the books
Posted May 19, 2006 at 3:09 PM EST
Lupin's Eternal Love
Points: 3090
BlackKatL says:
Laura Mallory, a parent of three children at an elementary school in the district, argued that the books encouraged witchcraft and demonic activity. It was later revealed that she had never read the books.
Gosh how stupid can people get!!!!!
I think all this has more to do with all the money that JKR gets the work of her talent than all the witchcraft bolone!!!
Posted May 19, 2006 at 4:43 PM EST
The Bulgarian Seeker
Points: 9809
~KrUmS_gUrL~ says:
I am so glad that it didn't go through. How stupid is it that people judge harry potter and they don't even read or haven't TRIED to read the books, I hate people like that, it drives me insane!
Posted May 19, 2006 at 5:20 PM EST
Haldir's Horcrux
Points: 6269
Corvis says:
Ugh, I think it's so lame to keep kids from reading certain books just because adults are uncomfortable with them. Let the kids read them and form their own thoughts and opinions about it.
Glad they're still available to read.
Posted May 20, 2006 at 10:42 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 503
Zauber says:
How could those books be causing violence?
Posted May 20, 2006 at 11:04 AM EST
Lady of Hufflepuff
(Moderator)
Points: 10343
Lady Lee says:
How can you argue that this book series will promote witchcraft and demonic activities if you have never read the books? It's like saying the Bible is promoting witchcraft because there are miracles being performed and some equate miracles with magic. But I'm glad that they're keeping the books because there are many good values that the books promote such as loyalty and friendship. And I don't think it really promotes magic. Those who buy wands and capes and other things do that because they enjoy having these sort of things.
Posted May 20, 2006 at 11:59 AM EST
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