September 22, 2002 at 6:37 AM ET
Inside Harry Potter
That's according to an annual report by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas.[NL][NL]Topping most of the lists was the Harry Potter series of books about a boy wizard. They drew 71 challenges in 21 school districts. All the challenges were rejected. [NL][NL]Texas A-C-L-U executive director Will Harrell tells the Houston Chronicle that the highest number of challenges were based on mystical and pagan references in books. He says that suggests an organized, religion-based campaign.[NL][NL]Challenges also were made to the Bible and Webster's Dictionary. Other books challenged include Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."[NL][NL]Of the 218 challenges, 38 books were banned, 57 had their use or access restricted, 22 remained, but students could choose alternatives, and 16 await final decision on their status. Eighty-five were retained without restriction.[NL][NL](this report was found by the leaky at myWest Texas.