If you’ve ever wondered what is the reason behind all of the school shootings happening all across school grounds in the U.S., it appears that Wisconsin and Florida might just have the answer to all of these inquisitive questions. Surprisingly enough, it all lies in the Assassination Classroom manga.
According to the Gifford Middle School in eastern Florida, as well as Elmbrook School District in southeastern Wisconsin, the octopus-like teacher from Assassination Classroom is the main culprit for all the violent actions taking place on school grounds. Because, of course, it can’t possibly be lenient gun laws’ fault. In a short span of time, the last two months were marked by both schools having taken matters into their own hands by removing the fictional manga by Yusei Matsui from their library, as reported by AnimeNewsNetwork.
Unlike what the school boards might be thinking, Assassination Classroom is hardly a story that incites gun violence within the classroom. In reality, the story pursues the life of a few “misfits” tasked with assassinating their homeroom teacher after Earth is left in jeopardy because of their powerful tentacled “Koro-sensei.” Upon destroying 70% of the moon, the creature offers mankind a chance to avert the same fate for their beloved Earth, leaving them with the task of assassinating him. Not only does this alleged assassination prove to be downright impossible, but it also doesn’t help that he is the best teacher these kids have ever had.
Despite being a more than-tame-story, neither school boards nor parents seem to be able to agree regarding the manga’s alleged role in school shootings. Gifford Middle School recently removed three books from the series from its library, while Elmbrook School District in southeastern Wisconsin removed five books from their e-library just last month after a parent raised concerns that the district might be promoting gun violence. According to some board members and parents, the books were not appropriate given the recent events propelled by the recent school shootings.
“We should all be able to agree that violence toward teachers and explicit sexual content is not something that schools should be glorifying or promoting, especially on taxpayer dollars.”
While it is, undeniably, a story with school elements — as most Shounen manga are — the story could hardly inspire anyone to provoke violent acts upon their aliens — that is, teachers. It is also hardly the reason for the increase in gun violence, but it will not be the first or last time anyone will blame fictional media for violence enabled by their own governmental laws.
