Harry Potter Controversy About Banning the Books

Harry Potter Controversy About Banning the Books The Harry Potter controversy has gone on, in one form or another, for years, particularly before the series ended. On one side of the Harry Potter controversy are those who say that J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter books are wonderful fantasy novels with powerful messages for kids and the ability to make even reluctant readers eager readers. On the opposing end are those who say that the Harry Potter books are evil books designed to promote an interest in the occult, since Harry Potter, the hero of the series, is a wizard. In a number of states, there have been attempts, some successful and some unsuccessful, to have the Harry Potter books banned in classrooms, and banned or under severe restrictions in school libraries. For example, in Gwinnett County, Georgia, a parent challenged the Harry Potter books on the grounds that they promoted witchcraft. When school officials ruled against her, she went to the State Board of Education. When the BOE confirmed the right of local school officials to make such decisions, she took her battle against the books to court. Although the judge ruled against her, she indicated she might continue her fight against the series. As a result of all the attempts to ban the Harry Potter books, those in favor of the series also began speaking out. kidSPEAK Speaks Out American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Association of American Publishers, the Association of Booksellers for Children, the Childrens Book Council, the Freedom to Read Foundation, the National Coalition Against Censorship, the National Council of Teachers of English, the PEN American Center, and the People for the American Way Foundation. What do these groups have in common? They were all sponsors of kidSPEAK!, which was initially called Muggles for Harry Potter (because in the Harry Potter series, a Muggle is a non-magical person). The organization was dedicated to helping kids with their First Amendment rights. The group was most active in the early 2000s when the Harry Potter controversy was at its height. Challenges and Support for the Harry Potter Series There have been challenges in more than a dozen states.  The Harry Potter books were number seven on the American Library Associations list of the 100 most frequently challenged books of 1990-2000, and they were number one on the ALAs Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009. The End of the Series Generates New Views With the publication of the seventh and final book in the series, some people began to look back over the entire series and wonder if it might not be a Christian allegory. In his three-part article, Harry Potter: Christian Allegory or Occultist Children’s Books?  reviewer Aaron Mead suggests that Christian parents should enjoy the Harry Potter stories but focus on their theological symbolism and message. Whether or not you share the view that it is wrong to censor the Harry Potter books, they have value by giving parents and teachers the opportunity offered by the series to increase their childrens interest in reading and writing and use the books to promote family discussions about issues that might otherwise not be discussed. Reading all the books in the series will allow you to make an informed decision about the Harry Potter books for your children. Participate in Banned Books Week activities, educate yourself about your communitys and school districts policies, and speak out as needed. More About Book Banning and Censorship All About Book Banning and Childrens BooksKids Book Censorship: The Who and WhyFrequently Challenged Books of the 21st Century

How to Get Rid of Christmas Tree Insects

How to Get Rid of Christmas Tree Insects Theres nothing like the smell of an evergreen tree to get you in the holiday spirit. But when you bring a live or cut Christmas tree indoors, some of the insects that have called your Christmas tree home might be joining you for the holiday season. Heres what you need to know about Christmas tree insects. Holiday Bugs Pose a Very Small Risk   You really dont need to worry about bringing any dangerous or destructive pests inside with your Christmas tree. Your home isnt an appropriate habitat for insects that inhabit coniferous forests, and they arent going to move in for good. Lacking food and adequate humidity to survive, most Christmas tree insects die soon after moving indoors. Just keep an eye out - if you find insects, they wont bite or sting and wont travel far from the tree. Insects that Live in Christmas Trees Coniferous trees attract a variety of small insects that may be visible only in large numbers. Aphids are common pests of evergreen trees, and the warm conditions of your home may cause overwintering aphid eggs to hatch. Some conifers host adelgids, which produce cottony secretions over their bodies. Mites and scale insects also inhabit Christmas trees. Larger Christmas tree insects include bark beetles and praying mantids. Adult mantids will be long gone from the cold temperatures, but mantid egg cases can hatch when introduced to the warmth of your home. If that happens, youll have hundreds of tiny mantids wandering in search of food. Christmas trees often harbor spiders, too. Check for Insects Outside Harmless or not, you probably dont want to spend the holiday season with bugs crawling around among the presents or flying into your windows trying to escape. You can minimize the chance of Christmas tree insects wandering around your living room, though, before you get it inside. When choosing a tree, inspect it carefully. Look for signs of aphids or other small insects. Theyll likely appear as little brown or red dots. Adelgids resemble a dusting of snow. And dont forget to examine the undersides of branches. Check each branch for egg cases, which could contain praying mantises. Prune out any you find because your warm home will feel like spring and induce eggs to hatch. Brown cocoons may harbor sawflies. Look at the trunk, too - small holes with sawdust trails are a sign of bark beetles. Reject any tree that seems heavily infested with pests. Before bringing the Christmas tree in the house, shake it vigorously to dislodge insects and spiders. Remove any bird nests, as these can contain mites. If you want to be sure that you found all the bugs, putting the tree in a five-gallon bucket of water in the garage for a few days can serve your peace of mind. If you do want to go after bugs found on the tree, dust it with diatomaceous earth, which dries out any bugs it comes into contact with. Wear eye and face protection when applying, as its actually pulverized rock that you dont want in your eyes or lungs. Shake the tree to remove excess before bringing it inside. Christmas Tree Insects Indoors Whatever you do, do not spray aerosol pesticides on your Christmas tree, as these products are flammable! Insects require humidity to live, and most will desiccate and die within a matter of days. Additionally, they will be unable to survive without food. It is much safer, and better for your health, to simply vacuum up any dead insects you find.