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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
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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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Witch
Points: 830
Barbarian Black says:
Hurray, freedom of speech prevails, this makes me proud to be an American & I thank God for democracy and the wisdom of this school bBoard!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 10:17 AM EST
Mrs. Draco Malfoy
Points: 27761
Arika Granger Malfoy says:
I hate when people try to ban the books.
It is SOOO stupid!
GAH!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 10:18 AM EST
Student
Points: 243
May Evans says:
I hate how ignorant people can be. They freak out about some books that mention magic thinking it promotes evil. That is so ridiculous. They don't bother to stop and look at what's really being said along with the magic, what kind of message it gives.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 10:31 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 367
sparkle_pink says:
Some people really need to get a grip.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 10:35 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 701
cmenges says:
Way to go LEGAL..... Isnt it so funny that the more entertaining something is the more evil it is ASSUMED? Then again Maybe it is not so suprising after all. (We are NOT know for thinking the best in all things. The worst is easyer.)
Posted May 12, 2006 at 10:36 AM EST
Witch
Points: 918
Lion says:
Another win for HP Nation! Excellent. Honestly, if parents don't want their children to read a book, it's their call, but they shouldn't force an entire community to do the same.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 10:46 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1789
Veela~Girl says:
I read the article on this yesterday and was interested to hear the results this morning. I was quite confident that the motion would fail due to the lack and irrelevance of the arguments made against the books. I can't believe someone feeling so strongly about something they don't know about???
Not only in the case against Harry potter, but one of the biggest problems in the world is ignorance: ignorance on the facts and even worse ignorance to learn. So I hope people start to enlighten themselves before they make irrational claims against one of the greatest things that has happened to modern literature.
Man this topic sure gets us heated hey! : )
Happy Friday everyone!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 10:51 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2469
Fat Lady Sings says:
YES! This is a fabulous failure! I absolutely abhor this type of censorship. It's perfectly fine to choose not to read a book, or to withold permission for your children to read a book. It is even fine to withhold a recommendation to an acquaintance, whether you have read the book or not. It is NOT fine, NOT ONE LITTLE BIT FINE, to wage a campaign that would prevent broad groups of people from reading any book, but especially a book that you have not read yourself. End of rant.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:00 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
(Moderator)
Points: 1562
lbaylor says:
I'm so glad that challenge failed. What would life be without Harry Potter. I sometimes wonder what people are thinking. I mean if you don't like them or think they are unsutable for you kids, just don't let them read them. It doesn't mean you have the right to decide what every child has the right to access or read thats up to those kids parents.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:03 AM EST
Emma's Darkest Secret
Points: 4610
Firestrike212 says:
YAY!! It failed. Thats good the hear that the books are staying. Way to go to the person that criticized the books when she didnt even read them. I congradulate you *that was sarcastic by the way*.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:08 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 486
Sirius151 says:
I really annoys me that people critize the books when they haven't even read it. There was a big argument about it in my old church, and the man who was fueling the debate had never read it, and we were like 'if you aven't read it, how do you know it's bad?'
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:11 AM EST
Squib
Points: 147
mermaidcatch says:
Every time I hear something like this I just roll my eyes. Sometimes I wonder if certain people will ever fully come out of this Puritanical train of thought. You know, if these people don't believe in witch craft, then there's no reason why they should feel threatened by these books. What do they have to fear if it's all a lie, right? Not to mention the fact that it's FANTASY! The Lord of the Rings has the same magical references and you never hear any one contesting those now a days. It's all rubbish.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:22 AM EST
Witch
Points: 510
Jealz says:
I'm glad the books weren't banned everyone needs a chance to read them.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:40 AM EST
Witch
Points: 936
Lilium says:
Oh god!!! Can they be serius!!! It's unbelievable... "...argued that the books encouraged witchcraft and demonic activity. It was later revealed that she had never read the books." well of course she hadn't read the books, how could she tell things like that if she had? She should ask her kids, if they ever read the books they'll probably love them! J.K. is a fabulus writer and her book have made lots of young people ( me included!!! ) leave TV's and computers and start reading more...I'm so glad the books weren't banned from that school, that would be pity for the kids there ; ) That's indeed one of the stupitest thing I've ever read... It's just... ahhhh... it's making me furius...I cannot believe that people!!!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:42 AM EST
Grillows Girl
Points: 2785
Miss Baltimore Crabs says:
Yes, she didn't get her way! I was soooooo mad when I heard that she wanted it banned, especially since she'd never read the HP books! HP books shouldn't be banned- she should be banned from having anymore children, crazy woman.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:45 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 649
Sir Blake the First says:
I live in this so called land of the free. That lady in GA had no right to ask that the school remove the books so that other kids could not read them. If she doesn't want her kids to read them then fine, she can stop her own kids. She has no right to impose her will on all the other students of the school. Land of the free!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:51 AM EST
Witch
Points: 633
filipipa says:
I had aready seen some programmes on TV about some people in america wanting to ban harry potter because it made people practice "demonic activity". That's so stupid. I'm glad that that school had some sense and didn't banish harry potter. Most of the these people (like in this case) haven't even read the books. Oh well... Besides, people oftely associate "witchcraft" to evil, but all those "rumors" about witches through the ages have another symbology hidden beneath.... who has read the da vinci code knows what am i talking about.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 11:57 AM EST
Auror that never talks
Points: 3678
KaKe3535 says:
I think that the parents and people that are against HP.. should read the book before they judge it..
Posted May 12, 2006 at 12:01 PM EST
Auror
Points: 4080
RON's all up in heRmiONe says:
Harry Potter does not encourage demonic behavior and Witchcraft. How many people have you heard about in the news have killed their parents by using the avada kedavra curse on them? This is all crazy if you ask me.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 12:10 PM EST
Squib
Points: 196
beachbaby21 says:
That is shocking but I have heard of that complaiint against the book. But these people should take the time to read them and then they would realise that it is a fight between good and evil!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 12:20 PM EST
Squib
Points: 173
R2krw says:
Ha that lady is full of poo. I've heard people around say that about HP. Alright good for that school! Wooo!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 12:23 PM EST
Squib
Points: 122
Kranotti says:
Bet you she won't go to see the DaVinci Code next week. We need to start a campain to fight people who suffer from both the irrisistable urge to speak out and ignorance. What a cow!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 12:33 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1372
lorrin_angel says:
I cant believer they are still having problem with the harry potter book. Parents should relize that by banning such books is against the american way we are free that means childeren should be free to read what they want. I mean if there was things young childeren shouldnt read about then yeah take it from the school but not because parents dont want to read it and considerit. To be honest parents should really just be happy their kids are picking up a book now a days any how!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 12:56 PM EST
Witch
Points: 893
Divadancer4life says:
All she is doing is giving the books more attention and make more people read them!!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 12:59 PM EST
Squib
Points: 107
OMEN_OF_DEATH says:
that is the stupidest thing i have ever heard. There are boooks on school library shelves about the life of adolf hitler, probably the worst man ever to live, but a book about fantasy is in danger of being pulled! Thai is so wacked.
Posted May 12, 2006 at 1:02 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2380
Phoenix's_Song says:
I go to school in Gwinnett! the lady that tried to ban the books has kids that go to my old elementary school... anyway, i heard about this weeks ago i can't believe she tried to ban these books! it was making mad yesterday. sure i own all of the books, but i would hate for my school to ban them from the library. GRR! i'm typing right now in the library (SHH!), and it would suck if the books weren't here. but, thank goodess they're staying!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 1:02 PM EST
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