DISTRICT MAY RESTRICT CLASSROOM READINGS.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

Harry Potter's days in Moorpark classrooms may be numbered.

A parent's complaint about the popular children's series has prompted school officials to consider enforcing a policy that allows teachers to only use books on the reading lists recommended by Moorpark Unified School District's Curriculum Council or the state Department of Education.

``I had a concern it was not on the adopted list for recommended reading adopted by the state,'' said Assistant Superintendent Frank DePasquale.

``I want to get a determination from the state department, is this book on their (supplemental) list? Is it a book they have received many complaints about?'' he said.

``I would like to get more information about this book before making a final determination. The direction we are moving in is to ask teachers to read only from the reading lists,'' he said.

State offices were closed Monday because of the Columbus Day holiday so Education Department officials could not be reached.

However, the state list for grades K-8 covers all literary genres such as science fiction, modern fantasy, realistic fiction and classics. Recommended books on the 1996 list include, ``The Princess and the Pea,'' ``The Snow Queen,'' and ``Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.''

The district's concerns follow a complaint from parent Teresa Schmidt, who said the Newbery Medal-winning ``Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' - the third book in author J.K. Rowling's popular series about a boy wizard - conveys sinister undertones.

``I feel we have a victory,'' said Schmidt, whose 9-year-old son transferred out of Walnut Canyon Elementary School after his teacher began reading ``Harry Potter'' to students last month.

After reading the first installment, ``Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,'' Schmidt believes the book is about witchcraft and has no place in the classroom.

But Barbara Glass, a fourth-grade teacher at Arroyo West Elementary School said she read ``Philosopher's Stone'' over the summer and could hardly put it down.

``It was a great story with lots of wonderful, figurative language, descriptive language,'' she said. ``I didn't see any problems with it advocating anything.

``It's just a story as is `Alice in Wonderland'. It's very much in line with a fairy tale. I wouldn't read a book to my class that was inappropriate.''

Glass, who is currently reading ``Philosopher's Stone'' to her students, said the state's recommended reading list - a basic guideline for students - is short and outdated. She said teachers don't have a problem following district policy concerning supplemental material, but hopes that there is an updated list of good books to read to children.

``There are hundreds of wonderful books out there not on the reading list,'' she said, adding it takes five to six years for a book to get on the list. ``There are times teachers read books that are recommended by libraries or recommended by awards, but they always read them first. They are always careful what is in it.''

School board President Dave Pollock said teachers reading from the recommended list ``is the practice, but we expect teachers to use good judgment in what they read aloud.''

``As far as establishing what is appropriate material is of a matter of judgment and discretion both on the state and local levels,'' he said. ``Even if the state declares it's OK from the state standpoint, we may have some local issue with the book in general.

``However, we have to be extremely careful about censorship issues,'' he said. ``In my view it's a very slippery slope to step out onto.''

Pollock, who has not read the ``Harry Potter'' books although his 11-year-old daughter has, said he did not personally find anything alarming in the books but that doesn't mean other parents would not find it objectionable and not want their children exposed to it.

DePasquale said he has read excepts from the third ``Harry Potter'' book and a Time magazine story on it.

``I think there is value to the book,'' said DePasquale whose background is as a reading specialist. ``But it may or may not be age-appropriate for lower elementary grades.''