"Harry Potter expelled
from school"
Teacher at West Ridge
Elementary bans book after hearing complaint
by Holly Kurtz ("Denver Rocky Mountain
News", November 6, 1999)
Cherie Ogden's son Carson came home from third grade Thursday and
told his mother a story she could hardly believe.
His teacher at West Ridge Elementary had stopped reading the class Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling's magical tale of a young
wizard in training.
She had decided to err on the side of caution after a parent at another
Jefferson County public school raised questions in reference to sorcery
in The New York Times best seller.
It's the latest episode in a controversy over three children's books
that have cast a spell over millions of readers worldwide. School
libraries can barely keep The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets
and The Prisoner of Azkaban in stock. Children read them on the
playground at recess. A movie is in the works.
Yet parents from South Carolina to California worry Harry Potter, the
main character, could be encouraging their children to do the right
thing -- read -- for the wrong reasons.
"It contains some powerful and valuable lessons about love and
courage and the ultimate victory of good over evil," said Paul
Hetrick, spokesman for Focus on the Family, a national Christian group
based in Colorado Springs. "However, the positive messages are
packaged in a medium -- witchcraft -- that is directly denounced in
scripture."
Christian groups say they've heard of no organized efforts to ban the
books from public schools. But the Rocky Mountain Family Council
ministry in Jefferson County fields about two calls a day from parents
concerned about the books, said Mark Anderson, director of research and
publications.
Douglas County School curriculum director Dottie Fielder says parents
have been asking questions about the books. And in Jefferson County, a
Stony Creek Elementary librarian posted an Internet message to her
colleagues after a parent raised questions about the books.
Jefferson County library services coordinator Roberta Ponis mentioned
the concerns at a Tuesday training session. West Ridge's librarian then
shared this information with her school's teachers, according to
district spokesman Rick Kaufman.
At least one teacher decided to stop using the book, much to Carson
Ogden's displeasure.
"He thinks it's stupid," his mother said. "He can't
understand it."
Anderson says he is not urging parents to get the books banned from
schools.
"I'm basically urging parents to pick the right fight to die
for," he said. "This isn't the right one. As far as books go,
there's a lot worse ones than Harry Potter."
Jefferson County has received no formal challenge to the Harry Potter
books.
School officials struck down the two other school library book
challenges this year. A Vanderhoof Elementary parent considered R.L.
Stine's The Boyfriend too racy. An Allendale Elementary parent
considered a nonfiction book, Arms and Armour, too violent.
Ogden hopes Harry Potter will not be expelled from West Ridge
Elementary.
"To me if people don't want kids reading these books, their kids
shouldn't be in public school," she said. "They should be in
private school -- Christian school."
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