Harry Potter & the fundamentalist's mind

More Potter articles are FURLed under Harry Potter

No Spells in our School Evening Gazette The world's favourite wizard Harry Potter has been banished from the shelves of a Teesside school library because of fears of satanic undertones.

Sources close to The King's Academy in Coulby Newham confirmed today that staff at the £20m super school felt the celebrated books by author J K Rowling should not be stocked. The Gazette understands that headteacher Nigel McQuoid took the decision after discussions involving librarians and teaching staff before the school opened in September.

Some staff were said to be worried about the series containing connotations to the occult and witchcraft. We understand pupils are allowed to bring their own copies of the books into school to read if they wish.

Mr. McQuoid himself declined to confirm that Harry Potter was banned from library shelves in line with a number of other schools in Britain and abroad with a strong Christian ethos. "The King's Academy policy on the books it stocks is that it seeks agreement among its staff on certain titles and we have plenty of scope to stock books on which they do agree," he said.

King's Academy is sponsored by the Reg Vardy Foundation, headed by Sir Peter Vardy, a Christian fundamentalist.

Teesside clergy contacted by the Gazette did not share the school's views on the books.

The Rev Mike Proctor, minister for the nearby St Mark's Local Ecumenical Partnership in Coulby Newham, said he reads Harry Potter books to his son. "I think this is something each parent has to reach their own decision on," he said." I think the books are particularly well written and are very interesting.

"They do raise concerns among many Christians but personally my wife and I have enjoyed reading them with our son and I don't have any problem with them. "I think the governing body of a school has a responsibility to run a school as it sees fit and I believe a decision such as this is taken after consultation with parents."

Monsigneur Ricardo Morgan, of Coulby Newham's St Mary's Catholic Cathedral, said: "The headteachers, teachers and governing body have to make a decision on what materials should be in school.” But it is very difficult in the lightness and comedy of Harry Potter for a young person to be drawn any more into the occult than somebody watching television. "There are quite a few programmes that deal with the supernatural."

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said the local education authority left it to headteachers to decide which books should be available in schools." Most authorities leave the choice of books up to the discretion of the headteacher and staff. Most of the books in any school library are directly linked to the curriculum," he said. "We offer advice through our advisory service but schools are more than capable of deciding what should be on the shelves."

The King's Academy is the second the Reg Vardy Foundation has opened in the North-east.

The first, Emmanuel College, hit the headlines nationally in 2002 when it was accused of undermining the teaching of evolution for creationist theories. Harry Potter books were banned from St Mary's Island Church of England School in Kent after the headteacher said they didn't fit in with its Christian ethos.

Christian schools in Australia have banned the books from their libraries because they believe they encourage children to dabble in the occult and in New Mexico in the USA the books were burned after people accused the fictional Harry Potter of being the devil. Schools in the United Arab Emirates banned the books after they were judged to be offensive to the Islamic faith.

Letter The Northern Echo (20/02/04) HARRY POTTER: THE ban on Harry Potter novels at King's Academy School in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough (Echo, Feb 14) is yet another example of the totalitarianism that results when business interests and religious fundamentalists are allowed to buy influence in our education system.

Not only are JK Rowling's books banned from the school library, but headteacher Nigel McQuoid has also seen fit to forbid children from writing about Harry Potter in assignments.

It is ironic that at a time when schools are being encouraged to promote active citizenship, the head of this institution should set an example completely at odds with the democratic values and free expression that are essential for meaningful participation in society.

If Mr McQuoid and his board of governors really have such little respect for the creative independence of the children in their charge or, even worse, are so pathetically feeble that they dare not risk upsetting the foibles of their private sector paymasters, they are unfit to be responsible for developing the minds of the next generation and should resign their positions. - Steve Cooke, Stockton.

Potter banned over 'witchcraft' theme
From: This is the North East – cached by google 16 Feb 04 - By Chris Brayshay

HARRY POTTER books have been banned from a school library over concerns they include witchcraft themes.

Staff at the £20m King's Academy school, in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, felt some of the themes were unsuitable for pupils.

Although youngsters are still allowed to take their own copies of the books to school to read, they will not be able to find the adventures in the library.

It is believed headteacher Nigel McQuoid took the decision after discussions involving librarians and teaching staff before the school opened in September.

Mr McQuoid said: "The King's Academy policy on the books it stocks is that it seeks agreement among its staff on certain titles, and we have plenty of scope to stock books on which they do agree."

Parents said that pupils had also been forbidden to write about Harry's adventures when they were given assignments to write about their favourite books and stories.

One said: "The kids were told Harry Potter was not a candidate because of its witchcraft theme, which is a bit over the top because of the huge success of the books.

"If a child wants to go and read one of the books, they just need to walk into WHSmith.

"It is not a case of having to obtain the books on the black market.

"The books are everywhere, while you can see Harry Potter at the cinema and on the television."

King's Academy is supported by the Reg Vardy Foundation, headed by garage owner Sir Peter Vardy, a Christian fundamentalist.

The move to ban Harry Potter has, however, not been backed by religious groups.

The Reverend Mike Proctor, minister for the nearby St Mark's Local Ecumenical Partnership, said he read Harry Potter books to his son.

He said: "I think the books are particularly well written and are very interesting."

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said: "We have to stress that this school is independent of the local education authority. What goes into a school's library is a matter for the headmaster."

A spokeswomen for the Department for Education and Skills said: "The situation is as long as this academy is following the national curriculum, it is up to the school whether they want to do this or not."