ATLANTA Is Harry Potter something far more sinister than a fictional character? A Georgia woman thinks so, and wants them out of the school library.
In fact, as far as Laura Mallory is concerned, the books help foster the kind of culture where school shootings take place. She believes that wouldn't happen if students were reading the Bible instead.
The mother of four from suburban Atlanta also contends Harry Potter is little more than an "evil" attempt to indoctrinate children in the Wicca religion.
But the school system's lawyer says the Potter series doesn't support any religion. She says they present themes like friendship and overcoming adversity. The lawyer also says if schools had to get rid of every book referring to witches, you could wave goodbye to "Cinderella" and "Macbeth."
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Gwinnett County, GA (WXIA) - Laura Mallory is not a Harry Potter fan, and she isn't giving up the fight to have the popular character taken out of elementary school. She says the series may encourage reading, but it also encourages witchcraft and evil.
She made her argument before a state school board hearing examiner on Tuesday.
"Witchcraft is being mainstreamed to our kids today but people are not aware of it. They think these books are fantasies but Wicca is a real recognized religion," Mallory said.
She finds the series so disturbing she says she’s never completely read one of the books by popular author J.K. Rowling. And she told the hearing officer she doesn't want her three children exposed to Harry Potter at the school library.
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