Aranya Doloi
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Harry Potter is an institution; an entire community to which people belong – the world of magic and wizardry has not only changed the landscape of creativity but also of wisdom and character. So, when one casts aspersions on our beloved world set in Hogwarts, you pause and think of exactly how did we get here? What is it that we talk of? Well, apparently students of a school in Nashville, Tennessee cannot borrow the Harry Potter books from the school library because the books apparently carry true spells and curses alike, which can prove to be detrimental in many-a-ways.
A Catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee has banned the “Harry Potter” series because a reverend at the school claimed the books include both good and evil magic, as well as spells, which, if read by a human can conjure “evil spirits”. Rev. Dan Reehil, a pastor at the St. Edward Catholic School in Nashville, event sent an email to all the students’ parents explaining his decision. His mail read, “These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but in fact a clever deception. The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells; which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text”. Reehil went on to write in the email that he consulted several exorcists in the U.S. and Rome who recommended the books’ removal.
According to reports, Rebecca Hammel, the superintendent of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Nashville said that Reehil sent the email and made his decision after receiving an inquiry from a parent. Hammel also said he was within his rights to ban the books as he claimed “Each pastor has canonical authority to make such decisions for his parish school. He’s well within his authority to act in that manner”.
Since the first Harry Potter novel was published in 1997 by JK Rowling, the series has been no stranger to controversy. The seven-part series has been banned in numerous schools across the country due to accusations that they promote witchcraft and go against traditional Christian beliefs.
