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Banned Book Week
September 27-October 4, 2008
![[Book Cover]](../images/harrypotter6.jpg)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2008
The Gwinnett County (GA) school board rejected a parent's pleas to take Harry Potter books out of school libraries, based on the claim they promote witchcraft. The Georgia Board of Education ruled December 14, 2006, that the parent had failed to prove her contention that the series "promote[s} the Wicca religion and therefore that the book's availability in public schools does not constitute advocacy of a religion." On May 29, 2007, Superior Court judge Ronnie Batchelor upheld the Georgia Board of Education's decision to support local school officials. County school board members have said the books are good tools to encourage children to read and to spark creativity and imagination. Removed from the St. Joseph School in Wakefield (MA) because the themes of witchcraft and sorcery were inappropriate for a Catholic school.
2007
Removed by the Wilsona School District trustees from a list recommended by a parent-teacher committee for the Vista San Gabriel (CA) Elementary School library along with twenty-three other books. Trustees said one rejected book contained an unsavory hero who made a bad role model for children; another was about a warlock, which they said was inappropriate; and others were books with which they were unfamiliar and didn't know whether they promoted good character or conflicted with textbooks. The Wilsona School District school board approved new library book-selection guidelines in wake of the trustees' controversial decision. Books now cannot depict drinking alcohol, smoking, drugs, sex, including "negative sexuality, implied or explicit nudity, cursing, violent crime or weapons, gambling, foul humor, and dark content."
The Gwinnett County (GA) school board rejected a parent's pleas to take Harry Potter books out of school libraries, based on the claim they promote witchcraft. The Georgia Board of Education ruled December 14, 2006, that the parent had failed to prove her contention that the series "promote[s} the Wicca religion and therefore that the book's availability in public schools does not constitute advocacy of a religion."
2006
Removed by the Wilsona School District trustees from a list recommended by a parent-teacher committee for the Vista San Gabriel (CA) Elementary School library along with twenty-three other books. Trustees said one rejected book contained an unsavory hero who made a bad role model for children; another was about a warlock, which they said was inappropriate; and others were books with which they were unfamiliar and didn't know whether they promoted good character or conflicted with textbooks.
Held by Marshall University (Drinko Library, Juvenile Collection, JF R884hh)
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For more information contact Ron Titus
Site modified September 14, 2008