[HPforGrownups] Re: Book Banning (postscript)

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 8124

I said:

> IMO, the issue with religious opposition to the Harry Potter books (or any
> books for that matter) is whether that opposition could be interpreted as
a
> reasonable move to protect those holding similar beliefs or as an attempt
to
> dictate to the population at large.  If it's the latter, I'd say it's
> unacceptable; if it's the former, I'd probably *think* it's unacceptable,
> but be more inclined to keep my nose out.

...and, I should add, that in Penny's example of a religious group being
successful in getting the HP books banned from a small local library, that
*would* be unacceptable.  In that case, the objecting parents should take
responsibility for restricting what their children read and let the rest of
the community make their own choices.  However, when it comes to the school
curriculum, I can see that it's very tricky: withdrawing children from
classes in which a book is being taught seems OTT, so I can imagine some
parents would suggest that the books be withdrawn instead.   It comes down
to whether the parents trust the school with their child's education and,
ultimately, whether they have faith in the moral fibre of their children.

Neil
_____________________________________

Flying-Ford-Anglia

"Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing
mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost
as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his
four-poster."

[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]