Educational Decrees
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In J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, Educational Decrees are laws that have been passed by the Ministry of Magic, the fictional government of Wizarding Society in the Harry Potter series, in order for the Ministry to have tight control over Hogwarts.
[edit] Origins
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Cornelius Fudge is Minister for Magic. At the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, he refused point blank to believe that Lord Voldemort had been resurrected, after inadvertently destroying the evidence of the plan.
Not willing to face the difficulties of Voldemort's return, he convinces himself that Dumbledore is trying to stir up trouble so he can usurp Fudge as Minister of Magic. He also believes, due to Rita Skeeter's damning article, and the events of the previous year, that Harry is an unstable, attention-seeking liar.
As part of this paranoia, Fudge implicates a smear campaign against Dumbledore and Harry, through the Daily Prophet. When he fails to convict Harry of performing Underage Magic (a charge he avoided with Dumbledore's assistance), he decides, partly at the behest of Lucius Malfoy, who has bought good terms with Fudge, to start introducing Educational Decrees.
Before he takes this decision, there have been Twenty-One Educational decrees, and it can be assumed they were passed over a long period of time. However, in the ten-month period between August 1995 and June 1996, no less than seven Decrees are passed. The first of these are used to assign his stooge, Dolores Umbridge, to Hogwarts, while the remainder are used to take power away from the rest of the Faculty, Dumbledore included, and give this power to Umbridge, as and when she requests such power. Far from being 'Educational', the decrees are just thinly-veiled laws allowing Fudge to keep checks on Dumbledore and have complete control over Hogwarts.
[edit] The Decrees
[edit] Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two
Educational Decree Number 22 was implemented on the 30 August 1995, and gives the Ministry the authority to appoint a teacher to Hogwarts in the event of the Headmaster being unable to find a suitable candidate. Fudge uses this Decree to appoint Umbridge as the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher.
[edit] Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three
Educational Decree Number 23 created the position of Hogwarts High Inquisitor, giving Umbridge the authority to investigate each teacher and, if found wanting, to sack them.
[edit] Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four
Educational Decree Number 24 dissolved all extra-curricular groups, including Quidditch teams, and stated that to reform, the groups had to seek permission from the High Inquisitor. Anybody in a group which was not authorised could be expelled. This decree was created in response to the first meeting of what would be known as Dumbledore's Army.
[edit] Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five
Educational Decree Number 25 gave the High Inquisitor final say over any punishment given out to students, and only their word could undo it. This Decree was created in response to Minerva McGonagall going to Dumbledore to overrule Umbridge's decision not to let the Gryffindor Quidditch team reform. Umbridge uses this decree to ban Harry, Fred and George from Quidditch for life.
[edit] Educational Decree Number Twenty-Six
Educational Decree Number 26 banned all teachers from talking to students about topics not directly related to the subjects they were teaching. This decree was created in response to the mass breakout from Azkaban in January 1996.
[edit] Educational Decree Number Twenty-Seven
Educational Decree Number 27 banned the Quibbler, and any student caught with a copy would be expelled. This was in response to Harry's Interview about the return of Voldemort. Ironically, it just encouraged students to read the interview, being able to conceal it when Umbridge drew near.
[edit] Educational Decree Number Twenty-Eight
Educational Decree Number 28 appointed Umbridge to the position of Headmistress, after Dumbledore fled Hogwarts to protect Harry.
[edit] Others
There were also plans to introduce Educational Decree Number 29, which would have granted Filch sweeping powers to administer various forms of Corporal Punishment on rulebreakers. This was promised by Umbridge to persuade Filch to help her to maintain control of the school.
[edit] Decrees Abolished
At the conclusion of the battle of the Department of Mysteries, and Fudge's witnessing of Voldemort, the Ministry finally acknowledges Voldemort's return. It is assumed that these decrees, and any decisions made with their authority, are abolished.
