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Whitney Sanders

Reflection 2

Harry Potter

In today’s society there are controversial issues everywhere. Students face these

controversies in their social lives, at home, and now at school. Media specialists and libraries are

now facing them as well. They are dealing with banned books from their libraries and

parent/student debates over what is right and what is wrong. We all have our own opinions and

they are causing controversy in our society.

One controversial issue that has gone on for years now is the Harry Potter series by J.K

Rowling. Rowlings wrote a series of seven fantasy novels for children and now adults have even

caught on. The books follow a young wizard boy named Harry Potter and his friends Ron

Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry is living in a world of non-magical people but discovered

his own powers at the young age of eleven. In these stories Harry is trying to overcome a wizard

name Lord Voldemort, who does not like non-magical people and wants to take over the magical

world.

Rowling’s seven books have sold over 450 million copies, this tells us that people love

reading these books. However, with our differing opinions there are millions who have concerns

over the series. Most of these issues stem from the concerns that books are promoting witch craft

and this is not a topic young children should be reading about. When researching the

controversial issue I found a lot of sites that were against the series. Jonathan Zimmerman spoke

about the moral issue parents have against the books, especially Christians. These parents have

demanded that the series be removed from libraries and classrooms, while The American Library

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Association stated that it was the most challenged book of 1999. If schools ban the series they

would then have many others to consider, such as, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and

books by Tennessee Williams (Zimmerman, 2000). Where would we stop?

The overall concern for the books by Christians is the moral and message of witchcraft

and sorcery. Parents believe that allowing children to read these books is subjecting them to

witch craft. They are allowing this and promoting these kinds of behaviors from their children.

Christians want to promote the beliefs and morals of the Bible, and it is their job to do so.

School libraries have also faced many issues with Harry Potter and the controversy it has

caused. This becomes a hard situation for schools and school boards. Cedarville High, in

Arkansas, faced the issue of parents concerned about removing the books off the shelves. They

stated it was taking the right of the first and fourteenth amendment from their children. A

committee met on the issue and unanimously voted for the books to stay on the library shelves.

This case was then brought to the board of education where some of those members voted for the

books to be banned. In the end the principal removed the books from the shelves where only

students who had permission could check the books out (DeMitchell & Carney, 2006).

In my own opinion, as a Christian, I would not allow my child to read these books. I do

not agree with witchcraft and themes of this nature. I am not yet a mother, but it is a  parent’s 

responsibility to teach children what is right and wrong based on their families beliefs. It is my

 job to teach my children the beliefs we have from the Bible. The Bible does not promote

witchcraft and it stems from the devil. Allowing children to read these books and watch the

movies begins a thinking process and wondering, what would it be like to have magical powers

like Harry Potter. Being a role model for kids is showing them and guiding them in the right

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directions and not letting them experience things that will harm their thinking. The problem is

not the magic the books use it is the influence of the characters and stories children are reading

and seeing. As an educator, I want my student to have access to materials they enjoy. If a student

enjoys these books and their parents allow them to read things of this nature they should have

that right. I do not want to take the right of reading and learning away form any student.

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DeMitchell, T., & Carnery, J. (2006). Harry potter and the school library. School Library

Journal, 52(6), 23.

 Norton, D.E. (2011). Through the eyes of a child: An introduction to children’s literature.

Boston: Pearson.

Zimmerman, J. (2000). Harry potter and his censors. Education Week , 19(43), 44.