Harry Potter is dangerous? The beloved book series by author J.K. Rowling about a young wizard and his friends has been taken off library shelves at St. Edward Catholic School in Nashville because the school's pastor believes the books' magical spells are real.
According to Independent, the pastor named Reverend Dan Reehill elucidated his decision in an email to the parents of students, declaring that he had consulted with exorcists in the US and at the Vatican before outlawing the seven-volume tale of the boy wizard’s career at Hogwarts and his battle against Lord Voldermort and the forces of darkness.
"These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true," Reehil said in an e-mail originally published by the Tennessean on Saturday. "The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells, which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the texts."
However, the authorities said that the school would not stand in the way of students reading Harry Potter at their parents’ discretion.
“Should parents deem that this or any other media to be appropriate we would hope that they would just guide their sons and daughters to understand the content through the lens of our faith,” Rebecca Hammel, the superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Nashville said.
St. Edward Catholic School, Hammel, Reehil and Rowling didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The school's move might surprise fans, but it's worth noting that the Harry Potter book series tops the list of most challenged books in the United States in the 21st century, according to The American Library Association. Challenges are defined as formal, written complaints filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.
The story originally appeared on Independent
According to Independent, the pastor named Reverend Dan Reehill elucidated his decision in an email to the parents of students, declaring that he had consulted with exorcists in the US and at the Vatican before outlawing the seven-volume tale of the boy wizard’s career at Hogwarts and his battle against Lord Voldermort and the forces of darkness.
"These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true," Reehil said in an e-mail originally published by the Tennessean on Saturday. "The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells, which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the texts."
However, the authorities said that the school would not stand in the way of students reading Harry Potter at their parents’ discretion.
“Should parents deem that this or any other media to be appropriate we would hope that they would just guide their sons and daughters to understand the content through the lens of our faith,” Rebecca Hammel, the superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Nashville said.
St. Edward Catholic School, Hammel, Reehil and Rowling didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The school's move might surprise fans, but it's worth noting that the Harry Potter book series tops the list of most challenged books in the United States in the 21st century, according to The American Library Association. Challenges are defined as formal, written complaints filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness.
The story originally appeared on Independent
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