Harry Potter Censorship Timeline

2000, November 10: Report of restrictions to the Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. The NCAC had been informed by the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression that the Santa Fe Independent School District has imposed restrictions on the use of J.K. Rowlings' Harry Potter books. Parental permission is now required to borrow the Potter books from school libraries.

As ABFFE president Chris Finan points out in a letter to Superintendent Richard Ownby, "Although requiring parental permission stops short of a total ban, we believe that this restriction denies many children the opportunity to encounter some extraordinary books that they may otherwise never know. The Potter books have been widely credited with encouraging children to put aside the flashy attractions of video games and other technological marvels. They are discovering the joys of reading and using their imaginations. Booksellers have seen the evidence of this transformation with their own eyes.

"Despite the bestselling status of the Potter books, most kids have never read one. Many parents have never heard of them, and many who have cannot afford to buy them in a bookstore. Public schools and libraries are the only hope that these children have of discovering Harry Potter for themselves."

Since the Potter books have been presumably removed from the open shelves of the school libraries and are available only when a child presents a permission slip, they are therefore unavailable for browsing, nor can they be brought home for examination by parents. We believe the school district's actions may violate the First Amendment, and that in any event public schools have the obligation to provide access to books like Harry Potter in the library.

Copyright 2000 National Coalition Against Censorship, and reprinted here without permission

Return to chronology 10 Nov 2000

2001, January: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. The series was listed as the most challenged works of the year 2000.

Return to chronology Jan 2001

2001, March 25: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. This time the books were part of a book burning. Much more than Harry Potter was burned, but this series was singled out by the religious leader for dealing with witchcraft and sorcery.

Return to chronology 25 Mar 2001

2001, October: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. It was challenged in Duval County, Florida by Mendy Robinson, whose child or children attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary. Her complaint seems to be religious based in that she reportedly complained about the "witchcraft" in the books, as well as being quoted as writing, "Harry Potter books are indeed turning children to lies & falsehoods of this present world."

In the last week of October, the twelve person review panel that was convened under school district review process guidelines determined that the books are to remain on the library shelves and students are to have open access to them. These recommendations were to be transmitted to Duval County School District Superintendent John Fryer who must make the final disposition in this case. Until he does, the books will continue to be in restricted access, with students needing a permission slip from their parents to read them. The parental permission requirement is also a part of the Duval County review process guidelines, being invoked immediately when a work is challenged.

Return to chronology Oct 2001

2001, November 15: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. In Taipei, Taiwan. The seven thousand member congregation of the Ling-Leung Church were warned off the books by Evangelist officials.

Return to chronology 15 Nov 2001

2001, November 15: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. This time in Lewiston, Maine. The series was targetted by a new group of censorship advocates calling themselves The Jesus Party. Also in attendance was a number of counterprotesters who vilified the religionists as nazis and fascists. The highlight of the evening at this event was when the religionists got through talking and assaulted one of the books from the series with pairs of scissors. Instead of burning it they just cut the pages to pieces. One counterprotester gave the same treatment to a bible.

[Tsk. As for the behavior of the self-righteous, Heaven forfend that I go into full rant mode about the false doctrine of establishing a religio-political party in violation of God's mandate separating church and state. (Render unto Ceasar that which is Ceasar's and all that.) --MN]

Return to chronology 15 Nov 2001

2001, November 16: Harry Potter: Film I

By Warner Brothers. Around the U.S., a number of schools bused students to the premiere of this film in recognition of the impact the series has had on otherwise reluctant readers. Except in Fargo, North Dakota, where some one hundred students at the Agassiz Middle School had their field trip canceled because of complaints by a few parents and one local radio show host. Because of depictions of witchcraft.

In Germany, Christian Social Union MP Benno Zierer said in a television interview, "The Harry Potter film is concerned with the occult and black magic and I don't think that it is a suitable topic for children under 10 years old. It is not a fairy tale and it could have negative influences on the further development of children. [...] If a child is accompanied or if parents talk with their child before the film then that might be alright, but otherwise a six-year-old could come out and not know what is reality."

[I will grant the people of Fargo brought the level of debate to a new plateau. Their argument, erroneous as it was, was that because witchcraft is a religion, a field trip to see a film about witchcraft violated the separation of church and state.

This argument fails to consider that there is no relationship between Wicca and the type of witchcraft religionists vilify, and the fact that there is no relationship between the sorcery in the Harry Potter series and the kind of magick practiced in Wicca.

Offhand, I would say that the upshot of this incident is that: instead of deciding their children weren't allowed to see the film, this group of parents decided no one's child was allowed to see the film, thereby violating the rights of the other parents to raise their children their way. I can't give the argument about Wicca being witchcraft any credence at all. Wiccan has absolutely nothing to with devil worship because in their creed Satan does not exist, and you cannot worship what isn't there. --MN]

Return to chronology 16 Nov 2001

2001, November 29: Harry Potter incorrectly reported as banned

By J.K. Rowling. In an article published online through Yahoo! News, it was reported that sixty Seventh-Day Adventist schools had banned Harry Potter books. However, an analysis of the actions undertaken by the church, as reported in the same article, suggests that it was a matter of selection rather than censorship.

Return to chronology 29 Nov 2001

2001, December 18: Report that Harry Potter film defies Islamist censorship

By J.K. Rowling. A report released by Reuters revealed that the film version has appeared in Iran complete with Persian subtitles. Unfortunately, it available only on the blackmarket. This pirate copy of the film became available on VCD just over a month after the film's release, with the discs going for about four dollars. This is not an isolated case, however. Even though Iranian conservatives frequently express concern about the threat to Islamic values from the Western "cultural onslaught," contraband foreign movies are openly traded in Iran. Iran is not a signatory to international copyright conventions and Western films are popular among Iranian youth as there is little opportunity for public entertainment under Iran's strict Islamic law, A Shariah.

Return to chronology 18 Dec 2001

2001, December 24: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. This series was reported to be the focus of a public book burning scheduled for 31 Dec 2000 in Alamagordo, New Mexico. The congregation of the Christ Community Church, under Jack Brock, were reported to be planning to burn the books for the usual reasons: they promote witchcraft and seduce children to the dark side of the force, etc, etc. It was also reported that pornography (unspecified), and Heavy Metal records (also unspecified) could be on the agenda. Brock was reported as saying that he hadn't read any of the books.

Return to chronology 24 Dec 2001

2001, December 31: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. Although a wide range of material was consigned to the flames, this series, was the specific focus of the congregation [or part of it --MN] of the Christ Community Church, Alamogordo, New Mexico. After a Potter-bashing sermon before an audience reported at several hundred, Pastor Jack Brock and his congregation went outside for the burning.

Return to chronology 31 Dec 2001

2002, January 24: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. The Penryn, Pennsylvannia, volunteer police and fire department, all eight members, reportedly voted to boycott a YMCA sponsored triathlon scheduled for 07 September. The YMCA after-school program has been reading chapters of the Harry Potter books since November 2001. The Penryn Fire Police Captain, Robert Fichthorn, condemned the books on religious grounds and challenged the integrity of the Young Man's Christian Association for teaching "witchcraft".

Return to chronology 24 Jan 2002

2002, January 25: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. The series was listed as the most challenged works of the year 2001.

Return to chronology 25 Jan 2002

2002, February 06: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. More than 200 community members came to a meeting at the Mayfield Elementary School, Lapeer, Missouri, to speak about this series. More were against using it in school than for it. The school board voted unanimously to keep and use the books in school nonetheless. Those who were against it opposed the series for the usual religious reasons. The issue of censorship unambiguously reared its ugly head when a substitute teacher for Lapeer and Imlay City schools, Bob Lilley, said, "Believe me, our schools are in bad shape. The community must pull together for this. Part of the voting community is alienated by insisting upon the use of the Harry Potter books. What do we have, really, to lose if we give up the use of the Harry Potter books?"

[What, indeed? -- other than the right to think for ourselves. --MN]

Return to chronology 06 Feb 2002

2002, February 14: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

By J.K. Rowling. According to the article in The Star Online, of Star Publications (Malaysia), the United Arab Emirate Ministry of Education banned some twenty-six books from schools on the grounds that they contain "written or illustrated material that contradicts Islamic and Arab values." Philosopher's Stone being one of them.

Return to chronology 14 Feb 2002

2002, March 12: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. A group of teachers in Russell Springs, Kentucky, had submitted a list of books they wanted reviewed for possible removal from the Russell County High School library. The Harry Potter books [4 as of the date above] were on the list.

Return to chronology 12 Mar 2002

2002, April 19: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. An eleven member review board voted unanimously to have this series placed back on the shelves of the libraries in the Springfield, Missouri, public schools. The books had been removed from the shelves at all fifty four libraries. Students were required to ask for them at the reserves desks. The review committe determined that the books do not violate any of the school board policies or guidelines. This complaint was initiated in March by a grandmother who objected to witchcraft.

Return to chronology 19 Apr 2002

2002, June 27: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. The Cedarville School District ruled that the books would not be permitted in the curriculum and the copies on the library shelves must be kept in a restricted section with children needing to show permission slips to sign them out. The complaint against the series was filed by Crawford County deputy circuit clerk Angie Haney. Her two children are attending school in this district. Ms. Haney's complaint was the usual one against witchcraft. Although she did allow as to how Harry Potter and The Philospher's Stone was well written, just inappropriate; this because the book shows how, "parents/teachers/rules are stupid or are something to be ignored. That magic will solve your problems. That there are 'good witches' and 'good magic.'"

[Placing the books in a restricted area and requiring permission slips is unconstitutional. It violates my child's right to read without needing to ask permission from the state and violates my right to raise my child according to my values. Also, the rationale behind not allowing the books in the curriculum is constitutionally impermissible. The books were ruled inappropriate for the wrong reasons. In my not so humble opinion. --MN]

[Addendum (21 Apr 2003): There seems to be some conflicting reports on this incident; probably due to the process of abstracting. Most likely somebody abstracted some key information. For a more complete look at this incident, also see the entry for 22 Apr 2003 when the Cedarville case was ruled on in federal court. --MN]

Return to chronology 27 Jun 2002

2002, November 14: Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets

By J.K. Rowling. The Jesus Party has scheduled another event featuring the destruction of a Harry Potter book in Lewiston, Maine. This one a year after the first and under much the same circumstances. This book-cutting is in response to the release of the second Harry Potter film.

Return to chronology 14 Nov 2002

2002, December 24: Report of a challenge to Harry Potter

By J.K. Rowling. This time in Russia. A woman filed a complain with the Moscow city prosecutor's office alleging that Chamber of Secrets discredits christianity. Andrei Alexandrov, The office's senior investigator, started an investigation on 16 Dec 2002 to see if the books violate Article 282 of the Criminal Code, which deals with the instigation of ethnic, racial, or religious enmity. A conviction on this charge carries a prison term of five years, although there was no indication of who will serve the time; whether Ms. Rowling or a member of the Rosman publishing house Moscow branch. A report filed in Moskovsky Komsomolets was confirmed by Rustem Aigistov, executive director of Russian Book Chamber.

The Russian Orthodox Church had not issued a statement as of the date for this entry. However, Deacon Alexander Kurayev, described as an outspoken missionary and who had read all four books in the series, was quoted from writings at his web site, "Is it a textbook on magic? No. It's a fairy tale."

[In point of fact, there is no mention of any kind about any religion in any of the Harry Potter books, nor is there any relation between Harry's magic and Wiccan practices. This challenge is similar to those against books here in North America that are not intolerant of homosexuality. "Because these books feature Magick they necessarily oppose my religion and are disrespectful of it even though they make no mention of my religion." Yeah, right. --MN]

Return to chronology 24 Dec 2002

2002, December 31: Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets

By J.K. Rowling. Moscow City Prosecutor's Office decided to not bring hate-crime charges against the book. A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office, Svetlana Petrenko, stated, "The probe revealed that there were no grounds for a criminal case." This incident began when an anonymous complaintant associated with the Tarusa chapter of the International Foundation for Slavic Writing and Culture, filed charges stating in part that Chamber of Secrets, "instilled religious extremism and prompted students to join religious organizations of Satanist followers." During this affair, PrimaNews, an alternative online publication, speculated that this incident mirrored closely the spirit of "Soviet times", when "works of art which happened to cause displeasure of the authorities . . . were immediately confiscated and banned ‘at request of outraged working people'."

Return to chronology 31 Dec 2002

2003, January 13: Harry Potter series

The series was listed as the most challenged works of the year 2002.

Return to chronology 13 Jan 2003

2003, March 02: Report that Harry Potter gets church support

By Barry Harvey at The Ottawa Citizen. Mr. Harvey's article contains a number of supportive statements by a variety of church officials. One source in particular was the Vatican, center of the Roman Catholic (but not Orthodox Catholic) Church. He also cited a Protestant minister who wrote a book describing Harry as Christ-like.

The Vatican came down in support of Harry Potter books at a conference on the New Age movement in Feb 2003. Former Pontifical Council for Culture official Rev. Peter Fleetwood said, "The author, J.K. Rowling, is a Christian by conviction in her way of living and in her writing. I don't see the least problem in the Harry Potter films." The U.S. Catholic bishops' Web site film reviewer has written, "Harry Potter is so obviously innocuous fantasy that its fiction is easily distinguishable from real life. Harry uses his 'magical powers' for good to fight evil."

Rev. John Killinger, minister and academic, has now published a book called, God, The Devil and Harry Potter, and in which he reportedly says the works are, "a modern interpretation of the gospel", and draws parallels between Harry and the life of Christ. For more about it, see the article through the link above.

[Case closed and we'll hear no more whining about satanism and witchcraft in Harry Potter, then; right? Ha! Fat chance. Don't forget that in many christian sects even other christians in other sects are unsaved, Hell-bound trash. Especially papists. --MN]

[Addendum (15 Jul 2005:) This report of support by the Vatican turns out to have been false. Cardinal Ratzinger, then the churches inquisitor, had sent a letter to Gabriele Kuby praising her ultra-conservative criticism Harry Potter - gut oder böse (Harry Potter- good or evil?). Encouraged by this, she sent a copy to the Vatican Prelate, and Fr. Peter Fleedwood then commented positively at the Vatican press conference. These comments were misinterpreted and reported as papal support. As a result, even in Jul 2005, when the sixth volume was about to be launched, many people around the world incorrectly believed that the Roman Catholic church supported the strong message of personal integrity inherent in Harry's story. --MN]

Return to chronology 02 Mar 2003

2003, March 03: Harry Potter Series

By J.K. Rowling. In response to restrictions placed upon these books by Cedarville school board, a law suit was filed in federal court asking that the books be removed from the restricted section and a requirement for parental permission be struck down. The plaintiffs are: This suit is the first legal challenge to restrictions in a public school of the Harry Potter series. It was filed on 03 Jul 2002 by Billy Ray and and Mary Nell Counts whose child attends Cedarville elementary school.

Return to chronology 03 Mar 2003

2003, March 31: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. The series came under attack in New Haven, Connecticutt, by Antonio Rivera, who described himself as representing several churches in the Fair Haven community. He did not identify which churches, specifically, however, only describing them as "Reformed Protestant". Rivera asked the Board of Education to remove the series from city classrooms, but Eleanor Osborne, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the school system, replied that the Potter books are not on any of the curricula in New Haven public schools. She could not say with certainty, however, that the books were not on any recommended reading lists. Carlos Torre, president of the Board of Education, said that there is a difference between a book about a sorcerer and a book that teaches sorcery, but did agree to meet with community members if it was necessary.

[Rivera is quoted as saying, "We're just trying to find out if we can get this book out of the school system and get something better. Why in the world (would) we want to teach our children witchcraft and sorcery?" The blatant lies upon which this snivelling is founded are:

The answers to the these misapprehensions are:

But try telling that to a raving fool with an axe to grind. --MN]

Return to chronology 31 Mar 2003

2003, April 22: Harry Potter Series

By J.K. Rowling. On this day U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren ordered the Cedarville School District to put the four (to this date) books back into general circulation. The 3-2 decision to restrict access to the series had overruled a unanimous decision by the district's library committee to permit unfettered access. The three board members who voted for the restrictions had said in their depositions that they felt the series prompted children to disobey authority and that the books promoted occult messages. This movement was initiated by Angie Haney who had complained that the books were of little educational value and could lead children into occultism. It was reported in one article about the ruling that she had decided to protest the book after hearing a series of sermons on witchcraft and satanic cults at Assembly of God church in Uniontown. The pastor of that church, Mark Hodges, happens to also be a member of the school board at fault.

It was reported that in her complaint, Ms. Haney wrote specifically, "The book keeps displaying disobedient behavior i.e. lieing (sic), sneaking out, fighting, name calling, it keeps reinforcing Harry doing all of these things with no consequences for his behavior." [...] "It's a starting place to learn witchcraft, sorcery and other satanic ideas." When the review committee voted unanimously to keep the books in circulation, Ms. Haney felt betrayed and went to Pastor Hodges who helped her acquire and fill out a complaint form at the school board level.

[Sure sounds like conflict of interest to me. I can accept his helping her to get and fill out the form, as every person has the right to file a complaint and a right to asssistance to do so. But given his involvement and a priori assumptions about Harry Potter he should at least have asked a clerk to assist the complainant or have excused himself from the vote. --MN]

Return to chronology 22 Apr 2003

2003, April 30: False report of banning Harry Potter

By BBC News UK edition online.
(see 30 Apr 2003)

Return to chronology 30 Apr 2003

2003, July 02: Harry Potter Series

By J.K. Rowling. This incident is probably the first censorship ban of The Order of the Phoenix, released 21 Jun, although it does not specifically single out that book; and also ignoring retroactive bans against it as part of the series from before its release. Given the current trend of challenging all the books in the series, it is unlikely, in fact, that any individual Potter book will be singled out in the future. In this case, the series was reported to have been banned from the Maranatha Christian College library by Principal Bert Langerak. He commented in an on air radio interview, "The Potter books portray and promote witchcraft as normal. It's a problem, because as Christians we would say witchcraft and that kind of thing is not good and yet Rowling portrays it as being good."

Return to chronology 02 Jul 2003

2003, August 03: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. Slightly fewer than fifty congregationists from the Jesus Non-Denominational Church, Greenville, Michigan, gathered on this Sunday to burn Harry Potter books and videos. Pastor Tommy Turner Jr. led the book burning by ripping up a copy of Harry Potter and tossing the torn pages into the flames. The rationales offered were the standard anti-witchraft-cum-satanism:

[Why is a god who is all powerful and all knowing afraid of a few books? More to the point, why does Stubblefield think that it isn't enough to just keep the books out of her children's hands?

One of the source articles on this incident closed with these lines:

Some of the parishoners also burned music cd's like N'sync. They say the music is not glorifying God, so they don't need it.
That closely parallels the rationale used by Caliph Umar I in ordering the collection at the Library of Alexandria burned in the 7th century. Almost fourteen hundred years and they haven't learned a damn thing. --MN]

Return to chronology 03 Aug 2003

2003, September 20: Harry Potter Series

By J.K. Rowling. The ACLU of Texas executive summary of the 2002-2003 report on challenges in Texas schools was released. Harry Potter books were challenged in only four districts as opposed to challenges in twenty-one districts the previous school year, and only two of those challenges were to the whole series; the other two were individual volumes being used in class work. ~ and The Sorcerer's Stone (American Title) was Challenged because of a parent's religious beliefs, while ~ and The Prisoner of Azkaban was challenged by a student who was allowed to select an alternate; so I do not count this one as a censorship challenge myself. In none of the cases were the books banned or restricted from general use.

Return to chronology 20 Sep 2003

2004, February 13: Top ten challenged books of 2003

Including the Harry Potter series to date. See the entry in the chronology.
2004, September 25: Banned Books Week
Including the Harry Potter series to date. See the entry in the chronology.
2005, July 16: Harry Potter and the Totally Asinine and Insane Court Case
By Raincoast, J.K. Rowling, and Bloomsbury Publishing. A big box store in Coquitlam, British Columbia, inadvertantly sold fourteen copies of Half-Blood Prince before this day. The above mentioned plaintiffs went to court and asked for an injunction that went completely too far. Michael Geist wrote of this in part, in Harry Potter and the Right to Read:
In a free and democratic society, a book publisher sought and obtained a court order banning reading and discussion of a children's book. In fact, Raincoast had asked the court to go even further, by compelling purchasers to disclose the names, addresses, and other contact information of any other person with whom they discussed the book's contents.

After the public objected to the order (including at least one call for a Harry Potter boycott), Raincoast issued a public explanation that cited copyright and trade secret law as the legal basis for its actions.

The copyright law claim was particularly puzzling. While copyright law does provide copyright owners with a basket of exclusive rights, the right to prohibit reading is not among them. In fact, copyright law has very little to say about what people can do with a book once they have purchased it. As far as the law is concerned, they are permitted to read it, resell it, or use it as a door stop if they wish. Attempts to use copyright law to create a new form of end-user license that establishes restrictions on the permitted uses of a book is at odds with longstanding legal principles.

Return to chronology 16 Jul 2005

2006, February 16: Harry Potter and the mass challenge for all the wrong reasons

By Wilsona School District school board, Palmsdale, California. See the entry in the chronology.

Return to chronology 16 Feb 2006

2006, April 16: The Harry Potter Series on trial in review process

By J.K. Rowling. The six books that have been published to date were challenged by Laura Mallory, who wants them removed from the Gwinnett County Public School system libraries. Her own children are attending J.C. Magill Elementary School as of this date. In the blank for "what good features do you identify", Ms. Mallory wrote: "interesting, attention-getting series; best-sellers encouraging children to read." Her objection, however, is to how the books teach children spells, witchcraft, and demonic activity. Ms. Mallory has reportedly not read the books because they are too long.

A public hearing on the issue was scheduled for 20 Apr at the Lawrenceville East facility.

Return to chronology 16 Apr 2006

2006, May 11: Harry Potter series

By J.K. Rowling. Ms. Su Ellen Bray, the hearing officer for this case, in the Georgia, Gwinnett County Public School system, recommended strongly that the series stay in school libraries. Her recommendation contained ten reasons why she thought the books should remain in school libraries; she argued that they encouraged children to read for pleasure, that most students who read them would know they were fantasy, not fact, and that the books promoted positive themes, such as good prevailing over evil. Her last reason summarized many of her earlier points: "To remove this series of critically acclaimed and highly popular books from the school media centers because of a challenge of one parent who has not read any one of the books in its entirety, who has mistakenly identified the themes of the books, and whose main argument is that the books teach the readers to be evil, would open this very fine school system to ridicule by many of its citizens as well as citizens of this nation.

Also on this day, at its monthly evening meeting, the Gwinnett County school board voted to keep the books in the libraries. Board member Carole Boyce commented before the unanimous vote: "At the very heart of this issue is censorship. Our students do understand the difference between fact and fiction." Ms. Mallory was not pleased with the decision, and said after the vote that she had not decided whether to appeal the board's decision.

Return to chronology 11 May 2006

2006, June 14: Report on an ongoing challenge to the Harry Potter series

By Laura Mallory. A Loganville mother of four, she is appealing the Gwinnett Board of Education's unanimous decision to keep the best-selling books on school shelves. According to the report, Ms. Mallory's complaint alleges that the books include "evil themes, witchcraft, demonic activity, murder, evil blood sacrifice, spells and teaching children all of this." At its 11 May meeting, the Gwinnett Board of Education upheld previous decisions by voting to leave the books on the shelves. Ms. Mallory had 30 days in which to file an appeal in writing, which she did 09 May. Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks has 10 days from then to submit a copy of the appeal, the transcript of evidence, proceedings from the public hearing, and all other related materials to the Georgia Board of Education. Once the appeal is filed with the state, the legal services division of the Georgia Department of Education will determine the next step.

Return to chronology 14 Jun 2006

2007, January 09: The ongoing challenge to the Harry Potter series in Gwinnett County

By Laura Mallory. Ms. Mallory, who claims the series indoctrinates children into witchcraft, filed an appeal in county superior court on this day, against the 14 Dec 2006 decision by the state board of education to allow the series to remain in Gwinnett County school libraries and classrooms. Ms. Mallory claims that supporters have made significant donations for legal fees, and that she has contacted a potential expert witness who could testify in court. The school board expects the appeal to affirm the state board's decision.

[See my commentary on the Harmful To Minors issue. The same assertions hold for supposed "immoral" materials as much as for supposed porn and violence. --MN]

Return to chronology 09 Jan 2007

2007, May 29: Court challenge to the entire Harry Potter series

By Laura Mallory. Gwinnett Superior Court had scheduled a hearing on her appeal, filed on 09 Jan, for this day. The hearing will review the ruling which effectively determined that the merits of the books far out-weighed any misperceptions of satanism.

On 30 May, it was reported that Superior Court Judge Ronnie Batchelor decided to uphold the Gwinnett County Board of Education's ruling. Ms. Mallory was not allowed to present new evidence, but she argued for about an hour that the series promotes witchcraft and contains violent material not suitable for young children. She is quoted: "This is not just fiction or fantasy in the books. Witchcraft is real. It's been around for thousands of years, and we were warned of it from God." Ms. Mallory was also not represented by a lawyer at the hearing, but told reporters it may be time to rethink her arguments with the help of an attorney.

Return to chronology 29 May 2007