A US school banned Harry Potter because it believed the spells in the book were real

The Harry Potter series, created by author JK Rowling, has been banned from the library of St Edward's Catholic School in Nashville because the school's chaplain believes the books' magical spells are real.

The school's chaplain, Dan Reehil, believes the series should be banned from the library of the school, which includes kindergarten through eighth graders, due to "advice from exorcists in the United States and Rome," CNN reported on Tuesday.

"The magic described in these books is both good and bad," Reehil said in an email on Saturday. "The curses and spells used in the books are real curses and spells that, when read by humans, run the risk of summoning evil spirits to the presence of the person reading the text."

Rebecca Hammel, dean of schools for the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, confirmed that Reehil's email about the banned books was authentic and said the school's pastor has the final say on what goes in the library.

St. Edward Catholic School, Hammel, Reehil and Rowling did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The school's move may come as a surprise to fans, but it's worth noting that the Harry Potter books topped a list of the most challenged books in the United States in the 21st century, according to the American Library Association. A challenge is defined as a formal written complaint submitted to a library or school requesting that material be removed due to content or appropriateness.