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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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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
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1229
sapphire260 says:
I cannot believe this!!! If the parents don't want their children to read them, its the children's loss and the parents' decision. But I don't think some other kids should be punished because of one parents opinion. Kids should be able to read what they please as long as they have their parents' aprooval, I mean....at least their reading, right? I say yes. If the book makes the child want to read then that is very good because the libraries are trying to get kids to resd any way by using prizes...at least that is how it is in South Carolina.
Posted May 20, 2006 at 1:25 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1448
Wulfric_Brian says:
Thank goodness. People are going insane over the HP books. There is absolutely nothing inappropriate about them. They help expand people's imaginations and I don't think that should be seen as a problem. Removing the book would just make them seem like ignorant prudes.
Posted May 20, 2006 at 3:37 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1596
alastor_moody says:
hey...News flash harry potter is fiction...witchcraft if fiction...evil is inspired by ones own mind...GET REAL!
Posted May 20, 2006 at 8:39 PM EST
Witch
Points: 541
Magic Momma says:
In a world where there are so many bad influences on kids (drugs, smoking, AIDS, violence etc..) I can't believe people are spending time worrying about Harry Potter! I also think that if you haven't even taken the time to read the books you should keep your objections to yourself. MORONS!
Posted May 20, 2006 at 9:02 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1018
ILuvHarryDiggoryKrum says:
That is excellent THAT they've brought it back....
Posted May 21, 2006 at 6:05 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 25
soccerjen2927 says:
OH my goodness
I can't believe that they even tried to do this! The schools have to much power over us as it is they should not be able to tell us what we should read and what we should not read! this is a free country and freedom is a right they should not even try to take it away from us!
Posted May 21, 2006 at 2:41 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1011
Fflewddur Fflam says:
I know a family that makes similar claims regarding the HP books and I am ashamed when I see their kids. Their daughter was pulled out of school for two weeks because her class was reading SS.
Sad...
Posted May 23, 2006 at 4:03 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1122
PhoenixPatronus2 says:
I'm glad they did the right thing. The woman who wanted to ban it had no leg to stand on. She'd never completely read any one of the books and she relied on the out of context complaints by other people who had probably never read the books either. It wasn't even like her children were being forced to read the books, they were just in the library to be checked out. It's one thing to make the decision a book or series is inappropriate for your own children but that doesn't give someone the right to decide no one else should get to read them either.
Posted May 25, 2006 at 10:04 AM EST
The Chosen One
Points: 9942
Gryffindor Dude says:
That's right suckers! Read the books before you start talking crap about Harry Potter and even trying to get it banned.
Posted May 25, 2006 at 1:34 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1741
HarryAssistant says:
Good! They're is nothing wrong with the book! If you don't want to read it then just don't. You shouldn't have to ruin it for everyone else.
Posted May 26, 2006 at 9:29 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1005
HP_obsessor says:
Hah! That's so riduculous! Come on! It doesn't really promote witchcraft and "demonic activity" (watever that is)...Besides, she never even read the books! So why go through all that trouble to prove something with the worst backup EVER!
Posted May 27, 2006 at 5:40 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 487
crazy_purple_hp_freak says:
Woo I'm glad...HP rules and I don't see how it can do harm as its FICTION...I think kids know that *rolls eyes*
Posted May 28, 2006 at 6:15 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2011
brenpotterfans says:
I really wish people would read the books before saying such negitive thing about them.
Posted Jun 2, 2006 at 7:15 PM EST
High Inquisitor
Points: 23483
KT Lady says:
What an idiot! How can you criticize the books without having read them? That's like saying you don't like an outfit without trying it on. People are stupid.
Posted Jun 2, 2006 at 10:36 PM EST
Points: 10161
GodricGryffindor says:
Thank God, why ban a book?
I hate how all these people who don't even read the book try to talk about it like it's some sort of devil book.
Posted Jun 3, 2006 at 12:11 PM EST
Student
Points: 200
Axel_of_Light says:
Who would think of such a thing?! Oh My God!! I cannot beleive people actully thought about removing the books from the librarys. Harry Potter books .. like the best in schools.
Posted Jun 10, 2006 at 5:17 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1370
hellothere says:
I hate it so much when ignorant people decide to hate Harry Potter and make judgements about it, without ever even reading the book! What do they know about Harry and his magical world? He is hardly selling his soul to Satan of anything like that. He is going against evil and helping the world.
Posted Jun 12, 2006 at 7:35 PM EST
Student
Points: 212
rosa codex says:
I know these books are in my little library...
Posted Jun 15, 2006 at 12:48 PM EST
Witch
Points: 507
lady_moon says:
I hate it when people try to ban books. It's ridiculous! If you don't want to read it, don't! You don't have to drag the rest of us along with you.
Posted Jul 4, 2006 at 12:59 AM EST
Squib
Points: 156
Call_Me_Elly says:
Thank goodness! I can not stand any book being banned. If the publisher judged the information in the book to be sufficient, we should accept that. Also I believe that everyone has the right to information.
Posted Jul 5, 2006 at 10:49 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 372
loopy luna says:
Wanting to ban Harry when there are so many worse books out there. I looked at some that are allowed in the schools' libraries and students are encouraged to read -- and I was appalled!! Yuk!
Of course, the chief advocate for banning had never read the books. Seems this happens every time -- haranguing and complaining and not a clue what really happens in the books!
Posted Sep 6, 2006 at 10:22 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2424
bonniewrightrulz says:
God this woman must be mental!!Ive heard she's probably failed to ban H.P books for the third time or something.Ha! Forget it old lady cause you will NEVER EVER SUCCEED!!
Posted Jun 18, 2008 at 1:37 PM EST
Witch
Points: 621
GarryDotter89 says:
What is their problem, seriously? I don't see them having issues with the Wizard of Oz or Roald Dahl, no, it's always Harry Potter that's evil. If the close-minded fools took time to read it, or read any book, they'd realize that it's not about promoting the occult, it's just a FANTASY book. Honestly! Banning the books form school won't help, either, it'll just make the children want to read it even more. People like that have real problems and paranoia. They should seek help.
Posted Sep 25, 2008 at 9:48 PM EST
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