There was an article in the religion section of the Fort Worth Star Telegram
about a new book showing support by Christians for Harry Potter last
Saturday. The article is available at the following link for a short time.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/living/4170125.htm
Having Christian writers supporting the books cannot hurt.
Carl Seale, Librarian -- Retired
cseale@hillsboro.net
http://www.hillsboro.net/business/antiquesandthings
"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision
is a nightmare" - Japanese Proverb
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bev Lammay" <lammay@EROLS.COM>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: ELEM: Harry Potter Censorship
> As the Intellectual Freedom chair of our Virginia Educational Media
> Association, I felt that I wanted to respond to George Anne's Harry Potter
> censorship dilemma. This is exactly the situation that can occur very
> quickly. Events can get out of hand with even the smallest group of
> emotional community members.
>
> To prevent the situation from happening again in the same way or perhaps
to
> assist you with this particular challenge:
>
> 1. Be sure that your school division has a Selection Policy that
addresses
> the types of instructional materials that are included in a school library
> collection (both curriculum and leisure reading types). Itemize the areas
> to avoid in selecting materials appropriate for school libraries; i.e.
> profanity used inappropriately for the characters in the story;
inflammatory
> or racist language; graphic sexual details; etc.
> 2. Have a community-based standing committee already established whose
> members serve 3-year terms or another duration of your choice. These
> parents or community members need to represent the various magisterial
> districts or communities in your area. Your other members of the
committee
> need to be teachers, language arts specialists for various grade levels,
> administrators for each level, a non-voting School Board member, and a
chair
> who merely facilitates the discussions. Don't wait until a challenge
occurs
> to establish your committee - complainants then feel you have "stacked the
> deck!"
> 3. A clearly written policy & procedure needs to be on file with your
> school division, either in a policy book or in a superintendent's office.
> And the policy and procedures need to be followed every time there is a
> challenge.
> 4. Complaint forms must be completed by EACH parent or community member,
> and on the form it states that he/she must have read the entire book.
> 5. The committee's recommendation is made to the Superintendent who
shares
> the results with the School Board.
> 6. Remember - ultimately the School Board has the right to make an
> independent decision that may or may not be consistent with what the
> committee has recommended - at least in Virginia that is state law.
> 7. Reminder - If your process reflects a community approach, then that is
> exactly what it should be. This means that the individual school library
> media specialist has no more right to say that the book stays on the shelf
> than the irate parent.
> 8. I would also hope that your local area library media association might
> offer continuing workshops on this very topic. It's not pleasant, but
with
> procedures in place, school library media specialists have a better
> opportunity to exhibit the professionalism and leadership that these very
> emotional issues require.
>
> I have done workshops on this issue and have weathered many materials
> challenges. ALA and AASL websites & staff are wonderful resources, as are
> the publishers of the books. They have wonderful data about previous
> challenges and remarks from the authors that can be used in your committee
> discussions. Let me know if I can assist you in any way.
>
> No matter what - you have colleagues who support your efforts! GOOD LUCK!
>
> Bev
>
> Bev Lammay, MEd, MSLS
> Retired Supervisor
> Henrico County School Libraries
> Richmond, VA 23233
> 804.741.3710
> lammay@erols.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "George Anne Draper" <GDraper@WYNNE.K12.AR.US>
> To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 11:54 AM
> Subject: ELEM: Harry Potter Censorship
>
>
> > <color><param>0100,0100,0100</param>Well, Friends, it has happened in
our
> community. A middle
> > school reading teacher went to a workshop this summer where
> > they developed a unit on Harry Potter. Before she taught it,
> > she discussed it with her students, and the overwhelming
> > majority of them wanted to read it. She then sent a letter to
> > the parents that they were going to read it. Need I say more.
> > A small group of people (including "some" of the parents)
> > protested in a meeting with the teacher, had a television
> > station interviewing them,and are now getting up a petition to
> > take it out of the library. When a reporter asked those at
> > the first meeting how many had read the book, <underline>not one person
> > in the protesting group had read it</underline>. Our superintendent
"asked
> > her" not to teach the book to stop all the dissention. We
> > actually have groups saying that she believes in witchcraft
> > now. It has been ugly. It has pitted churches against
> > churches, friends against friends, and teachers against
> > teachers. If you have time, please answer these questions.
> >
> >
> > Is Harry Potter included in your curriculum?
> >
> >
> > Have you had to address complaints about it either in the
> > classroom or the library?
> >
> >
> > What has been your best source in handling these situations?
> >
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > George Anne Draper, librarian
> >
> > Wynne High School, Wynne, AR
> >
> > gdraper@wynne.k12.ar.us
> >
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