Not again!!!!!
The board will hold oral arguments Oct. 3 over whether the popular series about a boy wizard should remain in Gwinnett County's public school libraries, Dana Tofig, spokesman for the state education department, said Friday. The hearing will be open to the public.
The hearing comes after an appeal by a Loganville mother who asked the Gwinnett County school board to banish the books. But the Gwinnett board voted in May to keep them, saying the stories had merit and encouraged students to read.
Laura Mallory, who wants the books removed, has argued the Harry Potter stories promote and glorify witchcraft.
Tofig said Mallory and the school system will submit their arguments in writing to the state before the hearing.
Mallory filed a complaint in September with J.C. Magill Elementary, where three of her children attend school, to have the Harry Potter books removed. Media review panels from Magill Elementary and the Gwinnett school district ruled the books should remain. The panels are composed of parents, teachers and community members.
Mallory appealed both decisions to the Gwinnett school board, which held a hearing on the issue in April. The hearing officer recommended the books remain, and Gwinnett board members agreed.
The Harry Potter series, with more than 270 million copies in print, are among the most popular books in children's literature. The books inspired a series of popular movies. Still, the works regularly appear on the challenged and banned books lists compiled by the American Library Association.
The hearing comes after an appeal by a Loganville mother who asked the Gwinnett County school board to banish the books. But the Gwinnett board voted in May to keep them, saying the stories had merit and encouraged students to read.
Laura Mallory, who wants the books removed, has argued the Harry Potter stories promote and glorify witchcraft.
Tofig said Mallory and the school system will submit their arguments in writing to the state before the hearing.
Mallory filed a complaint in September with J.C. Magill Elementary, where three of her children attend school, to have the Harry Potter books removed. Media review panels from Magill Elementary and the Gwinnett school district ruled the books should remain. The panels are composed of parents, teachers and community members.
Mallory appealed both decisions to the Gwinnett school board, which held a hearing on the issue in April. The hearing officer recommended the books remain, and Gwinnett board members agreed.
The Harry Potter series, with more than 270 million copies in print, are among the most popular books in children's literature. The books inspired a series of popular movies. Still, the works regularly appear on the challenged and banned books lists compiled by the American Library Association.