Educational Decree

The Educational Decrees are laws created by the Ministry of Magic to set or modify standards at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. During the 1995–1996 school year, the Ministry (spearheaded by Dolores Umbridge) used educational decrees to suppress and outlaw behaviour of which the Ministry did not approve (which is, in truth, just an excuse to strip Albus Dumbledore of his headship of the school and give it to Umbridge). These new ones were abolished when Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter proved Lord Voldemort's return.

Known Educational Decrees

• Educational Decree Number Twenty-Two
• Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three
• Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four
• Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five
• Educational Decree Number Twenty-Six
• Educational Decree Number Twenty-Seven
• Educational Decree Number Twenty-Eight
• Educational Decree Number Twenty-Nine (never actually passed)

Education Decrees Gallery

Educational Decree Number 23

Educational Decree Number 24

Educational Decree Number 27

Educational Decree Number 28

Behind the scenes

The destruction of all the Educational Decrees.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the Ministry of Magic creates at least one-hundred and thirty-three Decrees, which by the end of the year nearly cover the entire wall outside the Great Hall. Most of these Decrees were placed to reinforce ridiculous rules that suit Umbridge's sadistic, intruding, and old-fashioned nature:
  • Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three (the only canonical Educational Decree in the film; created the post of High Inquisitor and nominated Dolores Umbridge for the post)
  • Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four (forbade the playing of music during study hours)
  • Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five (forbade students from broom flight, the exception being authorised Quidditch practice)
  • Educational Decree Number Twenty-Nine (gave Umbridge the power to review all extracuricular activities)
  • Educational Decree Number Thirty (prohibited joke products made by Fred and George Weasley)
  • Educational Decree Number Thirty-Eight (banishment of all items deemed "not of educational value")
  • Educational Decree Number Thirty-Nine (confiscation of wands)
  • Educational Decree Number Forty-Five (made mandatory the wearing of school uniforms at all times)
  • Educational Decree Number Sixty-Seven (forbade exploding bonbons to explode)
  • Educational Decree Number Sixty-Eight (the book's Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four)
  • Educational Decree Number Seventy-Four (made the tagging of students' owls mandatory)
  • Educational Decree Number Seventy-Five
  • Educational Decree Number Seventy-Six (the book's Educational Decree Number Twenty-Seven)
  • Educational Decree Number Eighty-One (forbade something to do with Red Howlers)
  • Educational Decree Number Eighty-Two (forced the students to submit to questioning about "suspected illicit activities")
  • Educational Decree Number Ninety-Eight (established the Inquisitorial Squad)
  • Educational Decree Number Ninety-Nine (forbade the usage of magic to change the students' physical appearance)
  • Educational Decree Number One-Hundred and Nineteen (the book's Educational Decree Number Twenty-Eight)
  • Educational Decree Number One-Hundred and Twenty-Nine (imposed restrictions on the usage of the school library and common rooms)
  • Educational Decree Number One-Hundred and Thirty-Three (gave Umbridge the power to confiscate any unauthorised book from students)
• In the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when Fred and George Weasley fled from school after releasing a torrent of enchanted fireworks, one of them took the form of a dragon and destroyed all of the Educational Decrees hanging on the walls while chasing Umbridge, causing them all to crash down.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)