Tennessee Catholic School Yanks Harry Potter From Library

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Catholic school in Tennessee has removed the Harry Potter books from its library after the school's priest decided they could cause a reader to conjure up evil spirits.

In an email obtained by The Tennessean , the Rev. Dan Reehil of Nashville's St. Edward Catholic School said he consulted exorcists in the United States and Rome who recommended removing the books.

Reehil wrote: "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."

Catholic Diocese of Nashville superintendent Rebecca Hammel said Reehil has the final say at his school.

Hammel said she thinks the books by J.K. Rowling are still on the shelves of other libraries in the diocese.

Tennessee was also the site of the 1925 Scopes trial, in which a schoolteacher was convicted of teaching evolution, which was a crime. The conviction was overturned on appeal.

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