October 6, 2020

President Todd Diacon

Kent State University
PO Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242-0001

President Todd Diacon,

I am writing to demand that Kent State University immediately cease assigning adult-oriented material to underage
students and review its policies to ensure this never happens again.

As you know, I recently contacted Kent State University in good faith after speaking with a parent concerned about
the highly inappropriate mandatory reading assigned to his 17-year-old son, who is a high school junior who is taking
classes at a KSU branch campus through the college credit plus program.

The book in question is “Anime from Akira to Howl's Moving Castle: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese
Animation,” which is required reading in at least one offering of College Writing 1.

The graphic sexual violence detailed and glorified in some of this “educational” material the student’s parent shared
with me is deeply disturbing. Just as disturbing is Kent State’s refusal to take any action or make any accommodation
for the underage student.

Quite frankly, it appears Kent State University is awarding college credit for studying porn.

Pornographic material should never be required reading at Ohio’s taxpayer-funded colleges and universities.

This isn’t about “educational freedom” or censorship. I’m not suggesting that minors – or, for that matter, any students
– enrolled at Kent State be coddled in safe spaces or shielded from the truths, triumphs and tragedies of history.

But I am saying students should never be forced to study pornography in order to pass a class.

In closing, I would simply ask you this: Do you believe this material is appropriate for minors? And should it be
required reading for any students?

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Reggie Stoltzfus Don Jones

State Representative State Representative

50th Ohio House District 95th Ohio House District