Several school districts in Tennessee have removed certain popular manga titles from their libraries, such as Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia. The measure responds to a state law that regulates content in schools, seeking to avoid topics that may be considered inappropriate for students. This decision has generated diverse opinions among parents, educators and fans of the genre.
Manga titles withdrawn from schools in Tennessee: What’s at stake?
In recent days, several Tennessee school districts have made the decision to remove a number of popular manga titles from their libraries, including Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, Akira, My Hero Academia and Promised Neverland, among others. The move has been made in response to the New Era Appropriate Materials Act, a state regulation that places restrictions on content deemed inappropriate for students.
The law, which was implemented with the objective of regulating the materials accessible in schools, prohibits the distribution of any material containing explicit scenes or representations of certain topics, such as nudity, sexual behavior or extreme violence. In addition, it also includes a restriction on content that depicts unconventional practices of abuse or that may be interpreted as inappropriate for young audiences.
The removal of these titles has generated a wide debate among parents, educators and manga fans, who argue that many of these works have a cultural and educational value that should not be ignored. For some, these manga address complex issues such as morality, the fight against evil, and personal development in a unique way, making them a valuable tool for young people.
Comments on the controversy reflect a growing frustration among manga and anime fans, who feel that the decision to remove popular titles such as My Hero Academia from school libraries is excessive, especially when compared to classic works such as Romeo and Juliet. Some argue that it is inconsistent to allow students to read a work that includes themes of violence and death, but at the same time restrict access to a manga that, while featuring intense combat, also touches on themes of personal growth, friendship and sacrifice.
Others feel that, for 15- or 16-year-olds, such decisions are unnecessary and overkill, considering that these young people are mature enough to decide for themselves what to read, underscoring a debate about student autonomy vis-à-vis educational regulations.
However, proponents of the measure argue that protecting students from content that may be deemed unsuitable is a priority. The law seeks, according to its promoters, to ensure that materials available in the school environment are appropriate for all ages, and to prevent students from being exposed to elements that may be disturbing or confusing for their development.
The controversy has intensified because many of these manga are very popular among teenagers and have a large fan base who feel that such measures censor their access to content they enjoy. In some communities, protests and debates continue where they discuss whether these works really represent a threat to educational values or if, on the contrary, they should remain accessible to students.
For their part, school districts have pointed out that decisions to remove these titles from libraries are not intended to prohibit access to reading, but to ensure that the materials are aligned with the standards set by law. As this debate continues, education officials and lawmakers in Tennessee will have to confront questions about the extent to which it is appropriate to limit access to certain content in the name of protecting students.
