School board Hearing draws Potter foes, fans

[NoAmericanTaliban]

Boy wizard Harry Potter faced a different kind of challenge Thursday — a fight about whether he belongs in Gwinnett County public school libraries.

Seven Potter foes told a hearing officer the Gwinnett school board should ban the books because the tales are dark, violent and inappropriate for young children. Eleven fans defended the stories as modern literature.

"Harry Potter teaches children and adults that witchcraft is OK for children," said Laura Mallory, a Loganville mother whose complaint led to the hearing....

http://www.ajc.com/gwinnett/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/0421gwxpotter.html

may need to login for this link at the ajc.

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This is a follow up from another post - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=980307&mesg_id=980307

Looks like we will have to wait a few days to see what the school board will decide before she can have her book burning party. Amazing how people always want to ban stuff they haven't read. And it's always to 'protect the children'. Protecting them from reading & thinking?? Wonder what sex & fantasy book they will want to ban next - perhaps the bible?

[Ian David]

1. Just like Star Wars teaches that Pod Racing is okay for children n/t

[Downtown Hound]

2. Good thing there's no violence in the Bible

like crucifixions or massacres or anything like that. Kids should just stick to reading that book. It has everything you need including rock-tight science as to how the Earth was created in six days.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

3. Isn't there a movement to replace science books with the bible...

called intelligent design or was that first word unintelligent ?

[Downtown Hound]

9. There is

but they've been handed some pretty serious defeats in the courts lately, with the courts basically ruling that intelligent design wasn't science but religion and therefore can't be taught in public schools. But they'll be back I'm sure, at some point. They won't stop until America is officially a "Christian" nation.

[kay1864]

4. You don't need to create a login for ajc.com

Just go to bugmenot.com and use one of theirs. No sense in giving out your email address etc to ajc.com

:hi:

[Strong Atheist]

5. Laura Mallory and other foes need to get a life. nt.

[kay1864]

6. I'm not worried...

The school itself already ruled a year or so ago that Harry Potter is okay. Despite that decision, this fundie parent appealed to the county school board. Apparently the county school board is required to meet like this if a parent lodges an appeal.

Look, they are not about to ban the one book series that gets kids to read, just because a couple fundie nutball parents think it promotes witchcraft. Even in Georgia.

Note that the fundie side had NO experts, only nutball parents' opinions (oh, and the testimony from a probably-lying 15-year-old girl who was "seduced into witchcraft" :rofl:).

Whereas the side opposing the fundie had the school system’s director of media and information services, a teacher, and a school reading specialist, in addition to supportive parents.

As one poster put it, this woman needs to be banned from parenting.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

7. School Board will most likely vote in favor of Potter

I live in Gwinnett & am pround of how many folks came out in support for not book banning. It is making news here & itis good that people see how nuts these wingers are. There are also elections coming up & I need to see how the board votes. Anyone voting for the ban will have to go. The scary thing is that this is happening all around the country & a lot of it under the radar.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

8. 15 yr old possesed girl could have been at the salem witch trials

makes you see how easy something can spin out of control.

[democrat_patriot]

10. The Bible teaches sorceery. Ban it too as well.

A talking burning bush? WITCHCRAFT!!!

Making loaves and fishes magically appear? WITCHCRAFT!!!

Walking on water? WITCHCRAFT!!!

Turning water into wine? WITCHCRAFT!!!

Angels/spirits talking to people? WITCHCRAFT!!!

Ban the bible!!!

[NoAmericanTaliban]

11. Yes we do to save the children.

[ktlyon]

12. this series of books has done more to get children to read

than anything
Go Harry Go!!
These fanatics are afraid the children might think all the supernatural religious stuff is fantasy also.