Anti-Potter Events
Moorpark, CA (2000)
-Parents of a student in Moorpark, CA removed their son from school because of Harry Potter’s presence.
-Parents stated that “It was a horrible book. . . . It talked about death and killing. It talks about drinking animal blood. That is witchcraft, and as a religion it doesn’t belong in school.”
Lewiston, ME (2002)
- A group in Lewiston, ME ceremonially shredded copies of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets the night before the film version was scheduled for release.
-The group originally wanted to burn the books, but could not attain a permit.
Alamogordo, NM (2001)
-A local church held a bonfire event to burn works written by J.K. Rowling along with other “offensive” works.
Rural PA (2001)
-A church in rural Pennsylvania held a burning of the Harry Potter books, along with other supposedly offensive material
-Parents of a student in Moorpark, CA removed their son from school because of Harry Potter’s presence.
-Parents stated that “It was a horrible book. . . . It talked about death and killing. It talks about drinking animal blood. That is witchcraft, and as a religion it doesn’t belong in school.”
Lewiston, ME (2002)
- A group in Lewiston, ME ceremonially shredded copies of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets the night before the film version was scheduled for release.
-The group originally wanted to burn the books, but could not attain a permit.
Alamogordo, NM (2001)
-A local church held a bonfire event to burn works written by J.K. Rowling along with other “offensive” works.
Rural PA (2001)
-A church in rural Pennsylvania held a burning of the Harry Potter books, along with other supposedly offensive material
Banning
Saginaw, MI (1999)
-The Bruckner Elementary School came on record as the first school in the country to remove the Harry Potter books from the classroom.
2001 -The Harry Potter books had been banned outright in districts in Pennsylvania, Kansas, Illinois, and Wyoming.
Boston, MA (2007)
-series removed from a Catholic school when pastor of the school claimed that it was “his job to protect the weak and the strong.”
Wakefield, MA (2007)
-St. Joseph's pastor, the Rev. Ron Barker, removed the books, declaring that the themes of witchcraft and sorcery were inappropriate for a Catholic school.
-Interestingly enough, the Catholic Church has not expressed any concerns about the Harry Potter series, and even rated the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as "appropriate for adults and adolescents."
New South Wales, Australia (2012)
-15 years after its first volume's initial publication, Harry Potter books are banned at Medowie Christian School on charges of promoting "un-Christian"values.
-Additionally, students participating in a parade for “book week” were forbidden to dress as witches or warlocks
Zeeland, MI (2000)
-Harry Potter books were removed from the shelves of school libraries in the Zeeland school district.
-The books were banned from being read in the classroom and the purchase of future Potter books was halted.
Jacksonville, FL (2000)
-Public Library was forced to stop a promotion campaign for the Harry Potter books pending the complaints of some parents and a national religious organization-and a threatened lawsuit.
- The library had passed out a “Hogwarts’ Certificate of Accomplishment” to children who had completed the books.
-A parent stated “We don’t want our children to be exposed to witchcraft. If they are going to pass out witchcraft certificates, they should promote the Bible and pass out certificates of righteousness.”
Rockford, IL (2000)
-Holy Family Catholic School removed Rowling's books from the school library on the principal’s fears that they present witchcraft and astrology “in a positive light.”
-The Bruckner Elementary School came on record as the first school in the country to remove the Harry Potter books from the classroom.
2001 -The Harry Potter books had been banned outright in districts in Pennsylvania, Kansas, Illinois, and Wyoming.
Boston, MA (2007)
-series removed from a Catholic school when pastor of the school claimed that it was “his job to protect the weak and the strong.”
Wakefield, MA (2007)
-St. Joseph's pastor, the Rev. Ron Barker, removed the books, declaring that the themes of witchcraft and sorcery were inappropriate for a Catholic school.
-Interestingly enough, the Catholic Church has not expressed any concerns about the Harry Potter series, and even rated the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as "appropriate for adults and adolescents."
New South Wales, Australia (2012)
-15 years after its first volume's initial publication, Harry Potter books are banned at Medowie Christian School on charges of promoting "un-Christian"values.
-Additionally, students participating in a parade for “book week” were forbidden to dress as witches or warlocks
Zeeland, MI (2000)
-Harry Potter books were removed from the shelves of school libraries in the Zeeland school district.
-The books were banned from being read in the classroom and the purchase of future Potter books was halted.
Jacksonville, FL (2000)
-Public Library was forced to stop a promotion campaign for the Harry Potter books pending the complaints of some parents and a national religious organization-and a threatened lawsuit.
- The library had passed out a “Hogwarts’ Certificate of Accomplishment” to children who had completed the books.
-A parent stated “We don’t want our children to be exposed to witchcraft. If they are going to pass out witchcraft certificates, they should promote the Bible and pass out certificates of righteousness.”
Rockford, IL (2000)
-Holy Family Catholic School removed Rowling's books from the school library on the principal’s fears that they present witchcraft and astrology “in a positive light.”
Complaints
Gwinnett County, GA (2005-2007)
-Laura Mallory, a woman who has never read the series, repeatedly tried to have it removed from all Gwinnet County public schools.
-Mallory took her case to a state court and was voted down by a Georgia judge.
Fort Hancock, TX (2004)
-Challenged in school curriculum for ‘mysticism’ and ‘paganism’.
-An alternate book was supplied for parents who objected to the series.
Moscow, Russia (2002)
- A Moscow woman from the International Foundation for Slavic Writing and Culture filed charges that the book “instilled religious extremism and prompted students to join religious organizations of Satanist followers.”
- City Prosecutor’s Office decided not to bring criminal hate crime charges against Rosman Publishing for making available a Russian-language version of Harry Potter.
Chester County, PA (2001)
- A former substitute teacher and security guard registered a formal complaint to inform the school board that ““Harry Potter teaches you it’s OK to get back at people.”
Bristol, NH (2000)
-A parent appealed a district decision to allow the reading of Harry Potter books in class
- The board refused to accept her appeal and reminded her that parents always have the right to request an alternative reading assignment.
Arab, AL (2000)
-a parent asked the Board of Education to remove the Potter books from school libraries and accelerated reading programs.
-This parent claimed she was speaking on behalf of other Christians and said “we need to put God back in the schools and throw the Harry Potter books out.”
-School Board decided to keep the books, but they would no longer be required reading.
Frankfort, IL (1999)
-A parent complained that the Harry Potter books contained lying and smart-aleck retorts to adults.
-The district chose not to remove the books from the school.
Simi Valley, CA
(1999)
-A parent in the Simi Valley, CA school district charged that the book was “violent, antifamily, had a religious theme, and lacked educational value.”
-A review committee voted to allow its continued use as a “read-aloud” book in the classroom, but decided that it would not be required reading and that parents could take their children out of the classroom during this reading time.
Whittier, CA (2000)
- A committee rejected a request to remove the Harry Potter books from district school libraries.
- A petition signed by 53 parents had charged that the series “exposes our young children’s minds to black magic and . . . horrible experiences that our children don’t need to hear or read about.”
Band-La Pine, OR (2000)
-School board ruled to keep the Harry Potter books available to students on an unrestricted basis after a set of parents requested that the school board ban the series altogether, arguing that it “threatened the fundamental morality of students.”
Bend, OR (2000):
-A couple asked school officials to ban Harry Potter from the district’s schools, charging that the books would lead children to hatred and rebellion.
- The school superintendent rejected their request on the grounds that the couple should not determine the reading materials not only for their child, but for all students.
-Laura Mallory, a woman who has never read the series, repeatedly tried to have it removed from all Gwinnet County public schools.
-Mallory took her case to a state court and was voted down by a Georgia judge.
Fort Hancock, TX (2004)
-Challenged in school curriculum for ‘mysticism’ and ‘paganism’.
-An alternate book was supplied for parents who objected to the series.
Moscow, Russia (2002)
- A Moscow woman from the International Foundation for Slavic Writing and Culture filed charges that the book “instilled religious extremism and prompted students to join religious organizations of Satanist followers.”
- City Prosecutor’s Office decided not to bring criminal hate crime charges against Rosman Publishing for making available a Russian-language version of Harry Potter.
Chester County, PA (2001)
- A former substitute teacher and security guard registered a formal complaint to inform the school board that ““Harry Potter teaches you it’s OK to get back at people.”
Bristol, NH (2000)
-A parent appealed a district decision to allow the reading of Harry Potter books in class
- The board refused to accept her appeal and reminded her that parents always have the right to request an alternative reading assignment.
Arab, AL (2000)
-a parent asked the Board of Education to remove the Potter books from school libraries and accelerated reading programs.
-This parent claimed she was speaking on behalf of other Christians and said “we need to put God back in the schools and throw the Harry Potter books out.”
-School Board decided to keep the books, but they would no longer be required reading.
Frankfort, IL (1999)
-A parent complained that the Harry Potter books contained lying and smart-aleck retorts to adults.
-The district chose not to remove the books from the school.
Simi Valley, CA
(1999)
-A parent in the Simi Valley, CA school district charged that the book was “violent, antifamily, had a religious theme, and lacked educational value.”
-A review committee voted to allow its continued use as a “read-aloud” book in the classroom, but decided that it would not be required reading and that parents could take their children out of the classroom during this reading time.
Whittier, CA (2000)
- A committee rejected a request to remove the Harry Potter books from district school libraries.
- A petition signed by 53 parents had charged that the series “exposes our young children’s minds to black magic and . . . horrible experiences that our children don’t need to hear or read about.”
Band-La Pine, OR (2000)
-School board ruled to keep the Harry Potter books available to students on an unrestricted basis after a set of parents requested that the school board ban the series altogether, arguing that it “threatened the fundamental morality of students.”
Bend, OR (2000):
-A couple asked school officials to ban Harry Potter from the district’s schools, charging that the books would lead children to hatred and rebellion.
- The school superintendent rejected their request on the grounds that the couple should not determine the reading materials not only for their child, but for all students.
Self-Censorship
Oskaloosa, KS (2001)
-A public library canceled a summer storytelling presentation about “Muggle Studies” after some residents stated fears that their children would be taught witchcraft at the event.
Santa Fe, TX (2000)
-School principals voted to require written consent before allowing children to check out any of the Harry Potter books from school libraries.
Carrollwood, FL (2000)
-Administrators at Carrollwood Elementary School decided to prohibit any future purchases of Harry Potter books for the school library, fearing that parents might object to their presence there
-No formal complaints had been lodged against the books, but the principal ordered the action to remove the possibility of future problems.
-A public library canceled a summer storytelling presentation about “Muggle Studies” after some residents stated fears that their children would be taught witchcraft at the event.
Santa Fe, TX (2000)
-School principals voted to require written consent before allowing children to check out any of the Harry Potter books from school libraries.
Carrollwood, FL (2000)
-Administrators at Carrollwood Elementary School decided to prohibit any future purchases of Harry Potter books for the school library, fearing that parents might object to their presence there
-No formal complaints had been lodged against the books, but the principal ordered the action to remove the possibility of future problems.