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JULY 25, 2003 at 4:05 PM
Posted by JAMES
Source: Dover Community News via Wizard News
These professors write from a view
repeatedly upheld by the justice system; that any attempts by parents to control the educational use of books fall well outside their constitutional rights.
Public school children are in no danger from the likes of Quiditch hero Harry Potter, say two University of New Hampshire education professors. And recent court decisions upholding the right of educators to use texts like the popular fantasy books in their classroom is important for teachers struggling to keep children reading.
In Harry Potter, Wizards, and Muggles: The First Amendment and the Reading Curriculum, published in a recent issue of Education Law Reporter, UNH professors John Carney and Todd DeMitchell argue – backed up by two circuit appeals court rulings – that constitutional challenges to the inclusion of fantasy stories in public school classrooms are misguided. Potter and his cohorts are helping many children enjoy reading.
"Fantasy is part of the child's world," the two professors say. "Teachers use a rich source of genres and characters to entice and sustain student interest in reading. Educators should not easily give up those tools that may help children just because someone disagrees with their decision."
Carney says that "it is often a challenge for teachers to find books that will motivate poor readers. The Harry Potter series is an example of how highly engaging literature - whether it be fiction or fantasy - can foster an interest in reading by even the most reluctant readers."
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Witch
Points: 609
Aravis says:
This is true. First of all, it is very hard to find reading material which engages poor readers to read...I've tutored kids who hate to read and if they don't want to read, they won't, and then they don't get better at reading. Second of all, I've come to the conclusion that any reading material can be dangerous to the young and fertile minds of children. Unless we go back to "See Dick and Jane." (Oooh, Dick and Jane are together...a girl and a boy...and they're both underage. This could be dangerous...better take this out of our schools!) I mean, the kids are learning some moral lessons in the Harry Potter books while reading non-fiction stories of past and present events are not necessarily safer and don't necessarily teach moral lessons. What major events do we deal with? Mostly (over the years) war. Now there is war in Harry Potter's world and hopefully we'll see that sticking on the good side has its rewards, while going over to ol' Voldie will be your eventual doom. In real life, it's not so easy to see and not all kids will understand. What do they propose the kids to read instead? Honestly, how can we get it through people's thick skulls that kids know it's fantasy! Here's a newsflash- kids are smarter than most adults give them credit for! I know a LOT of kids, and talk with them, and sometimes they say wiser things than adults. Also, we should stimulate kids' imaginations, not stamp them out, don't you think? How else does one spur creativity? Sometimes I think schools just want to churn out little cardboard girls and boys...flash to scene from "1984" here...
Posted Jul 25, 2003 at 4:24 PM EST
Lycanthropist for W.S.S.
Points: 3603
Alchemist 530 says:
LOVE the 1984 reference, that's a great book... But I like what they're saying here, that it's part of freedom- teaching kids that they're free to do and be and say whatever they want, but, oh wait, you can't read that, sweetie, sorry... a little hypocritical. I think (along with Aravis) that kids are pretty smart, so stop trying to squash out everything that might, one day, possibly ever could be considered "dangerous"- your kid will be really badly adjusted to REAL LIFE.
Posted Jul 25, 2003 at 4:49 PM EST
Metamorphmagus
Points: 37946
tonks black says:
in the first line of the quote i think they meant quidditch instead of quiditch but i might be wrong. also, it does help children read because if most people are like me, they have a wide imagination and want to explore different parts of life and the world while still being in the safety or your room or on a sofa and books like harry potter help you do that.
Posted Jul 25, 2003 at 4:56 PM EST
Witch
Points: 645
trezmcgonagall says:
I find the books great for teaching English as a second language too. My adult students aren't embarassed to be seen reading Harry Potter while they are embarassed to be seen with other young adult literature. The language is simple and the story is complex. It is win-win.
Posted Jul 25, 2003 at 5:16 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 57
Mrs. Norris says:
It's the same thing I've been saying over and over-why would ANYONE wanna get rid of something that makes kids want to read?? I completely agree
Posted Jul 25, 2003 at 5:32 PM EST
Animagus
Points: 19544
Sirius-Ella says:
Mrs. Norris exactly...after reading hp I wanted to find more books!!! my mom is so proud of me! lol
-sirius-ella-
Posted Jul 25, 2003 at 6:20 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1065
Lerah99 says:
Aravis You summed all of that up quite nicely. I agree 100%. Kids aren't dumb. Reading is good. Banning books is stupid. (my thoughts in a nutshell) :o)
Posted Jul 25, 2003 at 11:36 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 463
Madam Hooch says:
I think the professors are right to say that the harry potter books are really good even for poor readers. All the books I've had toread for school were so boring, that I even had trouble starting to read harry potter at the beginning. I was just disgusted of reading. Fortunately, my best friend almost forced me to read it, and I just couldn't stop! If my teachers had given me HP to read, I think I wouldn't have been disgusted of books. Of course, there are still books I don't like, but I still like reading. People who say they don't like reading at all are stupid, they miss so much! They just didn't get the chance to find good books. I don't' understand parents who tell their children they shouldn't read that or that book. Kids should be allowed to read anything they like! They can learn so much with books!
Posted Jul 26, 2003 at 8:38 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2303
padfoot5312 says:
“Educators should not easily give up those tools that may help children just because someone disagrees with their decision.”
I glad that they finally prove that the books were good in school. Aren’t we trying to get children to read. We need to find more books for children to read – stop passing children who can’t read and encourage them to read. Its sad that America is, being a great country, fight about things like books in school. Shouldn’t we get more children to read and write.
“it is often a challenge for teachers to find books that will motivate poor readers. The Harry Potter series is an example of how highly engaging literature – whether it be fiction or fantasy – can foster an interest in reading by even the most reluctant readers.” Yes! We should get everyone to read – find things to get them to read.
Posted Jul 26, 2003 at 11:42 AM EST
Student
Points: 272
Yvain says:
Abessette: Nice to meet a fellow librarian! :D Good for you! I like your policy. If parents really care about guiding and protecting their children, they should accompany and supervise them, at the library and everywhere else. *rolls eyes* They blame everyone but themselves--teachers, authors, librarians...
Censorship, in general, is a terrible and dangerous force to mess with. It cannot be wielded by anyone. It can spread like wildfire, so that before long, the person who initiated it will be the one being censored. After all, we all have ideas about what is good and what isn't. If one person gets away with censorship, why shouldn't everyone else? It could undermine every democratic principle this society is based on.
That might seem like an exaggeration, but history has contained too many examples of where censorship can lead. And of how burning books can lead to burning people. No matter how good the intentions behind it, censorship is not worth the risk. No person or group has the right to speak for an entire community. We all have the right to read what we want.
Sorry for the rant, but this is one of those things I really have ardent feelings about. ;)
Posted Jul 26, 2003 at 9:13 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1783
Juno Puddifoot says:
I wonder about how people who promote censorship (at very least of Harry Potter) feel about Dolores Umbridge, oh hang on, they've probably never read the books of course. Shame isn't it? It is really good though that they can argue (and win) that it is against the Constitution. Of course private schools are going to be a different kettle I suppose and a couple of those have done the same thing over here.
Posted Jul 27, 2003 at 3:54 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2303
padfoot5312 says:
Yvain - you can rant all you want. I agree with what you said about censorship
Posted Jul 29, 2003 at 8:45 AM EST
Witch
Points: 917
Slytherin_Punk says:
I agree with bertiebotts. Why take away hp books when they are inspiring so many kids to read. It doesn't matter wahts in the book a sa long as they are reading.
Posted Jul 31, 2003 at 8:26 PM EST
Points: 351
Imelda Moonshine says:
Again, im glad people are standing up for Harry, especially professors.Gives it a better image!
Posted Sep 16, 2003 at 7:11 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 954
DaUltimateHP&SportsWiz says:
This reminds of an african-american mother who absolutely refused to let her daughter read Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn because it contained racial slurs. Well come to think of it, the kid didn't want to read it because of this either.
Posted Feb 4, 2004 at 2:15 PM EST
Professional Beater
Points: 20891
feltonluver says:
I agree with this article so much! There is certainly nothing wrong with Harry Potter, and actually has deeper meaning than what it looks like.
Posted Feb 20, 2004 at 12:26 AM EST
Magical Music Professor
Points: 5129
MagicalMusicDreamer says:
I'm glad there is some sanity in the academic community. People, especially kids, need to be exposed to many types of ideas. Harry Potter helps people with their reading skills. My relative had to go to the dictionary to find the word "cloak." I was surprised she didn't know the word.
Posted Jul 16, 2004 at 2:20 PM EST
Mediwitch
Points: 2608
nickyole1 says:
Why would anyone want to get rid of something that makes kids enjoy reading? Why would they? I just don't get it.
Posted Jul 17, 2004 at 8:49 PM EST
Squib
Points: 191
Mina says:
It's always the books that are banned that gain the most popularity and notoriety. Some of the most popular classics were at one time banned. I guess not everyone recoginizes brilliance!
Posted Oct 25, 2004 at 3:08 PM EST