After reading the Illustrated edition of Anne Frank’s Diary to their students, a Texas teacher was reportedly fired.
For those who don’t know, Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl is a collection of writings by the 13-year-old who fled with her family to hiding during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam to avoid being persecuted for being Jewish.
Frank passed away at the age of 15 in the German concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen, but her works have persisted.
Since her book was published in 1947, many adaptations have been made and released, most recently Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation in 2018.
According to local news site KFDM, the unidentified Texan teacher chose to read the latter version to their students during their reading session, which resulted in their termination.
An unapproved edition of The Diary of Anne Frank was read in class, according to Mike Canizales, director of communications and coordinator of community engagement for the Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District in Gamshire, Texas.
“The instructor was dismissed. There is a current investigation,” the speaker added.
The school district allegedly apologised to parents by email on Tuesday night, September 12th, according to The Guardian.
The following was said in the email: “Tonight, it was brought to the administration’s knowledge that eighth-grade kids were reading inappropriate content.
“The reading of that content will cease immediately. Your student’s teacher will communicate her apologies to you and your students soon, as she has expressed those apologies to us.”
Canizales then shared an updated statement with KFDM which read: “As you may be aware, following concerns regarding curricular selections in your student’s reading class, a substitute teacher has been facilitating the class since Wednesday, September 13, 2023.
“The District is currently in the process of posting the position to secure a high-quality, full-time teacher as quickly as possible.
“During this period of transition, our administrators and curriculum team will provide heightened support and monitoring in the reading class to ensure continuity in instruction.
“We appreciate your trust and partnership as we all work towards the common goal of safeguarding your child’s educational environment.”
And this particular version of Anne Frank’s diary has already been banned by a school in Florida after a parents’ group complained about it containing ‘sexually explicit’ content.
According to local news outlet WPTV, the library at Vero Beach High School will no longer contain Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation.
