In a surprising move, a Catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee, banned the Harry Potter series, claiming the risk of “injuring evil spirits.”
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, school students will no longer have access to the famous book series because they were banned and removed from the library.
The insanely popular series by novelist JK Rowling, a young magician and his adventures with friends as they grow up, was removed on its contents, according to the Tennessean, Rev. Quoted Dan Reehil, a pastor at Roman Catholic Parish School.
“These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but clever deception,” said Reehil, according to the newspaper, as quoted by the Hollywood Reporter.
“The curses and mantras used in books are actual curses and mantras, which when being read by a human being, risk injuring evil spirits in the presence of a person reading the text,” added Rehil.
The official told the newspaper that he contacted several outsiders in the US and abroad and reportedly suggested removing the popular book series.
Rebecca Hammel, Nashville’s superintendent of schools for Catholicism, said she was well aware of the decision.
“Every pastor has the prescribed authority to make such decisions for his parish school. He is well within his authority to act in such a manner,” Hummel said.
The original ‘Harry Potter’ books written by Rowling were published between 1997 and 2007. Eight films of ‘Harry Potter’ were released between 2001 and 2011. The popular franchise has also inspired an amusement park, a Broadway show, and several related works written by Rowling.
The young adult series explores the magician world, in which the titular character, Harry Potter, and his friends, Hermione and Ron, live. While studying at Hogwarts, a school for budding wizards, the three friends go on magic binding and fantastical adventures.
The film and book series won critical acclaim as well as an unprecedented global success.
Get the best of The Thus delivered to your inbox – subscribe to The Thus Newsletters. For the latest Entertainment News follow The Thus on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest and stay in the know with what’s happening in the world around you – in real-time.
