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From: Caryn Cullen <ccullen>
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 10:29:11 -0800
Here is something I found on a website created for moms.
I thought it was very thought-provoking.
Caryn
Potter: Magical or Harmful?
/param> The beloved wizard-revisited!
am>When, upon request, a Mom by the name of Jennifer G. agreed to cease reading from a Harry Potter book to her son's second grade class, she did so gracefully -- and with rumination aplenty. Her story and concern floated into Moms Online and struck a chord with staff and audience alike.
Where and when are fantasy and magic in reading material considered okay? How does one distinguish between matter which provokes healthy, creative imagery, and that which leans towards disturbing "darker" concepts; i.e., witchcraft? With over 81 million copies in print, the Harry Potter books' popularity as children's fiction is unprecedented, and contemplating a ban would be like pulling the candy from Halloween.
We urge you to read Jennifer's thought-provoking letter and decide for yourself:
"... Recently I have been asked to STOP reading Harry Potter to one of the second grade classes at my son's school. This is an individual teacher's decision (as in, not a school-wide decision), due to her own discomfort ... and the pressure/support of a few parents.
"I wrote a letter which I asked her to send home with her second graders... my goal was to compassionately inspire thought and encourage discussion. I would like to share with you the text of my letter..."
* * * * * *
Dear Parents:
As most of you know, I have been reading stories to your child's class since the beginning of the school year. This is an exercise that I consider a privilege and an honor. I believe that reading stories out loud to a child helps to promote their creativity and sense of imagination. These are very important, yet often undervalued, skills they will need throughout their lives. It is a person's imagination and sense of creativity that enable them to solve problems and create new ideas in all occupations, from parenthood to professional fields such as medicine, construction, and leadership. In addition to creativity and imagination, reading out loud helps to teach children grammar skills, vocabulary, and writing skills (the use of similes and imagery, etc.).
The book I have been reading to your child's class is "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," by J.K. Rowling. Rowling is a British author with a talent for writing and a fertile imagination. As many of you know, this book has recently been challenged in the state of South Carolina and has been much in the news the past few weeks. Coincidentally, with the intense media coverage, I have been asked to stop reading this book, due to protests from several parents.
I have chosen to honor this request with a little protest of my own. I understand the religious concerns that people often have regarding the material that their children are exposed to. However, I must admit to being faced with a new problem. I now find myself perusing my own home library for books that I read, not only to your child's class but to children in the Montessori school (three-year-olds), Kindergarten, and First Grade classes. My newest dilemma is in choosing a new
"appropriate" book.
My understanding is that the objection to Harry Potter generally comes from its focus on magic, sorcery, and fantastical creatures (goblins, unicorns, etc.). Some parents may be concerned from a religious standpoint; others may be afraid that it is too frightening a tale.
This is a story of your standard good vs. evil (with good triumphing, as usual). There are undesirable characters who are portrayed in an exaggerated manner so that the reader will instantly dislike them. These characters have qualities about them that even children recognize as rude, mean, or intolerant. There are evil characters who commit evil deeds, and there are benevolent characters who seek to overcome evil. These are struggles that occur in our everyday life, and by reading and hearing stories about such struggles, I believe that our children will become more empowered and develop the courage to challenge that which is wrong or evil in the name of that which is right, or good. I also chose this particular tale because it seems to have a magical quality of its own in interesting children in reading.
On the attached page, I have listed some books that I have read to children of all ages, or that I have considered reading. You will surely recognize many of the titles as "classics," and have possibly seen their corresponding movies. I have chosen these from my own library as samples of books and stories that also have magic at their core. At this point, I feel a little confused as to where the line is drawn and where the fantasy and magic is considered "okay" and where it is considered inappropriate. I recognize that it is possible that some parents may be concerned that "Harry Potter" is a bit "dark" and are more concerned with the age issue than a religious one.
I welcome any responses from parents in the effort to promote discussion. If you have not yet read "Harry Potter," and are unsure of whether or not it is an "appropriate" book, I invite you to read the book yourself... Perhaps we can have a parent-discussion as well. For those who have no issues, I will let (the teacher) know where we left off so that you might take the opportunity to continue reading the book with your child at home.
Again, my goal is to provide an enriching, imaginative environment for your child and to encourage reading. I hold an open, not a judgmental, mind and am primarily curious where parents are finding their concerns with reading material. This will help me make agreeable choices where your child is concerned...
Respectfully,
Jennifer G.
Books And Stories Which Contain "Magic" or Fantastical Creatures:
A Wrinkle in Time (Chapter Book)
Aladdin
American Folk Tales (Paul Bunyan, Mike Fink, etc.)
Any Santa Claus stories
Babushka's Doll
Cinderella
Goosebumps (Chapter Book)
Greek Mythology (in general)
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Hansel and Gretel
Jack and the Beanstalk
No Howling in the House
Peter Pan
Polar Express
Put Me In the Zoo (Dr. Seuss)
Rumpelstilskin
Sleeping Beauty
Snow White
Superman and other Comic Book Characters Sylvester and the Magic Pebble The Gingerbread Man The Hobbit (Chapter Book)
The House that Drac Built
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chapter Book)
The Lord of the Rings series (Chapter Book)
The Magic Schoolbus
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (Chapter Book)
The Wizard of Oz (Chapter book)
Where the Wild Things Are
Received on Wed 24 Nov 1999 12:29:11 PM CST
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 10:29:11 -0800
Here is something I found on a website created for moms.
I thought it was very thought-provoking.
Caryn
Potter: Magical or Harmful?
/param> The beloved wizard-revisited!
am>When, upon request, a Mom by the name of Jennifer G. agreed to cease reading from a Harry Potter book to her son's second grade class, she did so gracefully -- and with rumination aplenty. Her story and concern floated into Moms Online and struck a chord with staff and audience alike.
Where and when are fantasy and magic in reading material considered okay? How does one distinguish between matter which provokes healthy, creative imagery, and that which leans towards disturbing "darker" concepts; i.e., witchcraft? With over 81 million copies in print, the Harry Potter books' popularity as children's fiction is unprecedented, and contemplating a ban would be like pulling the candy from Halloween.
We urge you to read Jennifer's thought-provoking letter and decide for yourself:
"... Recently I have been asked to STOP reading Harry Potter to one of the second grade classes at my son's school. This is an individual teacher's decision (as in, not a school-wide decision), due to her own discomfort ... and the pressure/support of a few parents.
"I wrote a letter which I asked her to send home with her second graders... my goal was to compassionately inspire thought and encourage discussion. I would like to share with you the text of my letter..."
* * * * * *
Dear Parents:
As most of you know, I have been reading stories to your child's class since the beginning of the school year. This is an exercise that I consider a privilege and an honor. I believe that reading stories out loud to a child helps to promote their creativity and sense of imagination. These are very important, yet often undervalued, skills they will need throughout their lives. It is a person's imagination and sense of creativity that enable them to solve problems and create new ideas in all occupations, from parenthood to professional fields such as medicine, construction, and leadership. In addition to creativity and imagination, reading out loud helps to teach children grammar skills, vocabulary, and writing skills (the use of similes and imagery, etc.).
The book I have been reading to your child's class is "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," by J.K. Rowling. Rowling is a British author with a talent for writing and a fertile imagination. As many of you know, this book has recently been challenged in the state of South Carolina and has been much in the news the past few weeks. Coincidentally, with the intense media coverage, I have been asked to stop reading this book, due to protests from several parents.
I have chosen to honor this request with a little protest of my own. I understand the religious concerns that people often have regarding the material that their children are exposed to. However, I must admit to being faced with a new problem. I now find myself perusing my own home library for books that I read, not only to your child's class but to children in the Montessori school (three-year-olds), Kindergarten, and First Grade classes. My newest dilemma is in choosing a new
"appropriate" book.
My understanding is that the objection to Harry Potter generally comes from its focus on magic, sorcery, and fantastical creatures (goblins, unicorns, etc.). Some parents may be concerned from a religious standpoint; others may be afraid that it is too frightening a tale.
This is a story of your standard good vs. evil (with good triumphing, as usual). There are undesirable characters who are portrayed in an exaggerated manner so that the reader will instantly dislike them. These characters have qualities about them that even children recognize as rude, mean, or intolerant. There are evil characters who commit evil deeds, and there are benevolent characters who seek to overcome evil. These are struggles that occur in our everyday life, and by reading and hearing stories about such struggles, I believe that our children will become more empowered and develop the courage to challenge that which is wrong or evil in the name of that which is right, or good. I also chose this particular tale because it seems to have a magical quality of its own in interesting children in reading.
On the attached page, I have listed some books that I have read to children of all ages, or that I have considered reading. You will surely recognize many of the titles as "classics," and have possibly seen their corresponding movies. I have chosen these from my own library as samples of books and stories that also have magic at their core. At this point, I feel a little confused as to where the line is drawn and where the fantasy and magic is considered "okay" and where it is considered inappropriate. I recognize that it is possible that some parents may be concerned that "Harry Potter" is a bit "dark" and are more concerned with the age issue than a religious one.
I welcome any responses from parents in the effort to promote discussion. If you have not yet read "Harry Potter," and are unsure of whether or not it is an "appropriate" book, I invite you to read the book yourself... Perhaps we can have a parent-discussion as well. For those who have no issues, I will let (the teacher) know where we left off so that you might take the opportunity to continue reading the book with your child at home.
Again, my goal is to provide an enriching, imaginative environment for your child and to encourage reading. I hold an open, not a judgmental, mind and am primarily curious where parents are finding their concerns with reading material. This will help me make agreeable choices where your child is concerned...
Respectfully,
Jennifer G.
Books And Stories Which Contain "Magic" or Fantastical Creatures:
A Wrinkle in Time (Chapter Book)
Aladdin
American Folk Tales (Paul Bunyan, Mike Fink, etc.)
Any Santa Claus stories
Babushka's Doll
Cinderella
Goosebumps (Chapter Book)
Greek Mythology (in general)
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Hansel and Gretel
Jack and the Beanstalk
No Howling in the House
Peter Pan
Polar Express
Put Me In the Zoo (Dr. Seuss)
Rumpelstilskin
Sleeping Beauty
Snow White
Superman and other Comic Book Characters Sylvester and the Magic Pebble The Gingerbread Man The Hobbit (Chapter Book)
The House that Drac Built
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chapter Book)
The Lord of the Rings series (Chapter Book)
The Magic Schoolbus
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (Chapter Book)
The Wizard of Oz (Chapter book)
Where the Wild Things Are
Received on Wed 24 Nov 1999 12:29:11 PM CST
