Looks like the popular manga series, Death Note, is causing some problems in high schools across the nation. Just recently, a motion to ban the manga from Albuquerque’s Volcano Vista High School was brought up for voting. Although the motion to ban was not passed, this act follows a string of actions started by parents and schools that see a danger in the manga.

There have been quite a few instances of “Death Notes” being found at school. No, I’m not talking about the actual manga, I’m talking about actual lists with names of people on them. For those of you unfamiliar with the series, the Death Note series is one in which a young boy finds a book in which he can kill anyone simply by writing their name and how they die in the book. While it’s unlikely that your average high-schooler actually possesses these powers or would actually go out and kill people, schools have taken disciplinary action, and students across the country have been suspended for having Death Notes.

Peggy Salazar, a mother who advocated the ban in Albuquerque, says that, “Killing is just not something we should put out there for our kids to read in this way.”

I think it’s absolutely heinous that schools and parents are actually trying to ban this kind of material. Death Note is a great manga series that offers a much deeper storyline than simply going off and killing people. It’s the same situation with violent video games, also. Despite studies showing that so-called violent video games do not lead to violent kids, parents still feel the need to advocate against them. If we’re going to be putting bans on violent mangas, then we might as well be putting bans on the Bible. I don’t know about you guys, but from what I know, the Bible has its fair share of total bloodshed and the wrath of God.

What do you think about this? Should Death Note be banned from schools? and does violent material influence kids to do violent things in real life?

Source: AnimeNewsNetwork