[boxlunch]

"We just had to be at the first showing on the first day," says a Plano mom who's taking her third-grader out of school to catch an 11:15 a.m. show. She doesn't want her name, or her son's, in the paper.

Not that she's doing anything wrong. She just doesn't want anyone to know about it.

The 48 third-graders at Ben Milam Elementary School in Dallas won't have to worry about their teachers finding out they're at the 9 a.m. show. The teachers are taking them.

And people wonder why we homeschool.

"I'll just send a note saying he has to be somewhere," she says. "If he leaves after 9, it doesn't count as a day's absence. But he kind of told the kids on the playground. We hope they won't tell on him."

Another great benefit, she's teaching him how to lie to his authorities.

[BluesDuke]

Oh, for God's sake, is this ridiculous or what? Puh-lease, children for generations have been missing school days on Opening Day of baseball season and no one is ready to proclaim the end of civilisation as we know it because of it...

[mxbluto]

she's teaching him how to lie to his authorities

Right. My child will tell 'his' authorities straight up where they can go.

[Russell Scott]

The reason people are interested in Harry Potter is because he has super-natural powers. As soon as the Christian church begins doing the works of Christ, and greater works of super-natural power, the world will be saying Harry who?, Jesus is the one I want to know about.

[Libloather]

More Cabbage Patch crap? This ain't the end of it...

[strela]

This is going to shock some of you, but I actually WALKED OUT of Harry Potter this evening. I made it through about 50 minutes of the picture, but had to leave.

(Of course, the real reason I left was this damnable toothache I'm suffering, and I couldn't sit still with the blasted thing throbbing like it is. Hope the codeine holds out till Monday (when the oral surgeon is scheduled to remove the thing).

[CrossCheck]

On Nov. 15 (opening day of deer season) here in Michigan, thousands of young'uns dumped school to go out in the woods to see if they could kill Bambi. What's the big deal?

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

We went to see Harry Potter this afternoon, just AFTER school let out in case you are wondering!

After all the articles I have read about the evils of the Harry Potter series, I was stunned by this movie! It was fabulous! It is truly a "good triumphs over evil" movie.... the entire story line is based on good deeds and helping others..... the stories of "animal sacrifice" are total bs..... an EVIL being killed a unicorn, and the good people in the story tell Harry that nothing good ever comes from an evil deed.....

I am a Christian, and I believe there is a difference between "fictional entertainment" and some sinister, underlying plot to take over the minds of children....

[wwjdn]

This is what Harry Potter is all about...Lying, cheating, and so on.

Homeschooling is the way to go.

If a teacher took kids to a story about Jesus she would have been fired...It's a very sad state of afairs these days...The world is upside down.

[who knows what evil?]

Make of it what you will, but when asked by a CNN reporter what he enjoyed most about the movie, a young male fan replied "...the special effects; the witchcraft; all that GOOD stuff". Hmm...

[Norb2569]

Children learn what they live.

'nuf said.

[Leroy S. Mort]

My 82 year old mother wants to see this movie but I'm afraid her neighbors will burn her at the stake. I'm praying about it........

[Kermit the Frog Does theWatusi]

Fortunately...this should all be over by Christmas. And LOTR should blow mediocre "Harry" off the front page.

[Slyfox]

I am ambivilent towards the whole Potter thing. I never did buy the books for my kids, they have no interest in the movie. A number of adults have asked my boys if they are excited about Harry Potter and the reaction they get from my boys is pretty funny. My youngest just finished 'Robinson Crusoe' and now he wants wants to see the movie.

[babylonian]

Personally, I can't wait until all these kids turn their silly mothers into toads.

[Dems_R_Losers]

It gets worse...last night there were theaters here in the DC area showing the movie at midnight! On the 11:00 news they showed a family waiting in line with a 10-year-old girl. The reporter asked if it was past her bedtime and she said, sure - then her parents chimed in and said, "we don't care! Hahahaha." I said to my husband, well, her teacher is sure going to care when she falls asleep at her desk tomorrow! But, by golly, those parents will sure be able to brag to all their friends that THEY saw the movie first!

I have an 8-year-old who has read all the books and wants to see the movie (as do I, I don't have the patience to read 700-page books anymore), but there is no way he would even THINK to ask to stay up until 2:30 a.m. or skip school to go see it. He was more excited about finishing his school project, and going to his best friend's house for a sleepover and to work on the book they are writing together. I mean, what is the big deal about waiting until Saturday or Sunday? The kids won't be back to school to talk about it until Monday anyway! I think it really is selfish parents who want to brag to their adult friends, or bad parents who have over-indulged their kids and fed them this Harry Potter stuff through the nose so they feel they HAVE to see the movie immediately.

[kcvl]

And people wonder why we homeschool.

I DON'T!

[Caipirabob]

Teachers and students skipping class together...

Homework not getting done...

Dogs and cats...living together...

GENERAL MAYHEM!

Yes children, we all know who's responsible for all of this...

Shall I say it? S-A-T-A-N!!!

; )

[Crawdad]

Sounds like the first day of deer season in Georgia.

[AppyPappy]

"We just had to be at the first showing on the first day,"

Or what?

[wyopa]

Our not going to see Harry Potter -- or read books about him, for that matter -- has less to do with the content of Harry Potter and more to do with staying away from pop culture. We want our kids to be able to stand up to pop culture, The only way to do that is to teach them that nothing in pop culture is that important.