South Carolina parent calls on school to remove Assassination Classroom manga

One South Carolina county has decided to remove the manga Assassination Classroom from school libraries following a complaint from a parent.

Jennifer Hannigan of Horry County raised concerns with the school district after her ninth-grade daughter borrowed the book Assassination Classroom from the school library. The series, created by Yusei Matsui, revolves around a classroom taught by an alien who challenges his students to kill him or else he will destroy the world.

This isn’t the first time the series has faced controversy in the US. It was previously banned in a New York school district in 2019, and a Florida school district also challenged the book in 2023 following pressure from Moms For Liberty.

Critics, including parents and activists, often focus on the theme of killing a teacher in the series, overlooking the context that the teacher is actually an alien with plans to destroy the world. Ms. Hannigan echoed similar sentiments, stating: “They’re talking about the operative on how they’re going to kill this teacher, and different ways to kill the teacher.”

Assassination Classroom has gained popularity among middle and high school students, especially after its airing on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block a few years ago. The manga is also readily available for purchase at stores like Barnes & Noble and is licensed in English by Viz.

It’s important to note that Barnes & Noble suggests the book is suitable for ages 14-17.