Harry Potter Lives On And A Yarn Of A Story......

Hello Dear World.....

How are you ? Let me begin by saying that Harry Potter shall live on. You'll understand what I mean when I tell you about a recent event.

Harry Potter won't be expelled from Gwinnett County's public schools. The Gwinnett County school board voted unanimously Thursday to keep the popular book series about a boy wizard in the district's libraries.

A Loganville mother by the name of Laura Mallory had asked the board of the state's largest school district to ban the books, which she said promote and glorify witchcraft. School board members however said the books have merit and have improved students reading skills.

A board member named Carole Boyce said her family enjoys reading the books. "At the very heart of this is censorship", Boyce said. "Our students do understand the difference between fact and fiction. Let's let those who want to read the Harry Potter books have the opportunity to do so."

Laura Mallory, who filed the complaint against the books, said she hadn't decided whether to appeal the board's ruling to state education officials. "I knew what they were going to do, but it's good we live in a country where you can stand up for what you believe in," said Mallory, who is a former missionary. Mallory attended Thursday's meeting, but did not address board members.

Gwinnett's review of the Harry Potter books began in September, when Mallory filed the complaint. Media review panels from a school where her children attend, and the school district ruled the books should remain. the panels were made up of parents, teachers and community members. The retired DeKalb County school administrator who presided over the appeal strongly recommended that the books remain. Board member Mary Kay Murphy, a former English teacher, said the books help students develop the critical thinking skills they need to be successful in high school, college and life. "I support the value of the Harry Potter books to develop children's imagination and ability to read," she said.

It was reported that the Harry Potter books are among the most popular in children's literature, with more than 270 million copies in print.

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I'm glad that the books were not taken off the shelves. I think that reading books like this helps encourage young children to get into reading. The Harry Potter books should be able to remain on the shelves so that those who are interested in the book.....myself included are able to enjoy them at leisure. I also feel that banning a book from a shelf might lead to all kinds of censorship which would lead to the dangers of also getting rid of people's freedom of speech and their freedom to decide what to say, to think, to wear and to believe.

I'm really glad the books and Harry Potter live on. I'm also sure that J.K. Rowling would be happy to hear the news. Check out the Harry Potter link here ------------> http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/

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In other news dear world as you know there are a million different stories in this world and each one has a different yarn all its own.........Well I'm about to share one with you.

The story I'm about to share comes with knitting needles. Recently a 68-year-old woman, described as a serial yarn thief, is facing a felony shoplifting charge in Fulton County Superior Court after what yarn store owners claim had been a constant visitor of stealing from knitting stores from Cherokee County to Dunwoody to Buckhead.

The lady in question, Audrey Yandel pulled the wool over shopkeepers' eyes for so long because she looked exactly like the average yarn store customer --:A sweet old lady--- harmless, " said Julie Elledge, the owner of the Dunwoody Yarn Shop who collared Yandel and turned her into police May 1. 

Yandel's court date has not been scheduled, according to Erik Friendly, spokesman for the Fulton County district attorney's office, who said she was charged with a felony because there's more thn one incident.

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I wonder if the person who was accused of stealing had a reason for doing it. Her punishment should be that she pay a heavy fine and community service.

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Any interesting happenings in your neck of the woods dear world ??

I will talk to you tomorrow dear world...........Good-night