A school has banned the singing of songs from hit Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters over concerns they are not in keeping with its “Christian ethos”.
Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, Dorset, sent a message to parents on Friday saying some members of the community are “deeply uncomfortable” with references to demons.
It said this was because they “associate them with spiritual forces opposed to God and goodness”.
In an update on Monday, acting head teacher Lloyd Allington said he had since received feedback from parents, highlighting positive messages from the songs, but said the school was seeking to support those who found the themes “challenging”.
KPop Demon Hunters became Netflix’s most viewed film ever in August and follows the adventures of fictional K-pop girl band Huntr/x as its three members use their music and fighting skills to protect humans from demons.
It also features a rival group made up of five demons called the Saja Boys, whose song lyrics cover themes including temptation and seduction.
In the initial message sent to parents, the school asked them to encourage their children “not to sing these songs at school out of respect for those who find the themes at odds with their faith”.
But one parent told the BBC: “I thought it was ridiculous. My daughter is very into K-pop and her and all of her little friends love it.”
He said they did performances at after-school clubs.
“It’s just a harmless, a nice little thing for them to do to get their confidence up,” he said.
He describes himself as an atheist and said it felt like “a bit of an imposition and probably a bit unfair and silly”.
He said nothing like this had happened before and praised the school in general, but felt it had been put under pressure to make the change.
In Monday’s update, acting head Mr Allington said the school had received feedback from parents who said songs – such as 10-week UK number one single Golden – had helped their children learn about teamwork, courage and kindness.
He continued: “While we fully respect your right to make choices about the content your child engages with at home, we also want to be mindful of the diversity of beliefs within our school community.
“For some Christians, references to demons can feel deeply uncomfortable because they associate them with spiritual forces opposed to God and goodness.”
He added: “We are not asking parents to tell their children that there is anything wrong with enjoying the film or its songs if it aligns with your own views and beliefs…
“Our role will simply be to help children understand that some of their peers may hold different views and to explore how we can respect and support those peers in upholding their faith.”
Source: BBC