Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • All Woman
  • Career & Education
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Classifieds
  • Design Week
Illustrated Anne Frank book removed by Florida school
Dr Otto Frank holds the Golden Pan award, given for the sale of one million copies of the famous paperback, "The Diary of Anne Frank". A high school along Florida’s Atlantic Coast has removed a graphic novel based on the diary of Anne Frank after a leader of a conservative group challenged it, claiming it minimised the Holocaust. “Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation” was removed from a library at Vero Beach High School after a leader of Moms for Liberty in Indian River County raised an objection. (AP Photo/Dave Caulkin, file)
Latest News
April 10, 2023

Illustrated Anne Frank book removed by Florida school

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — A high school along Florida’s Atlantic Coast has removed a graphic novel based on the diary of Anne Frank after a leader of a conservative advocacy group challenged it, claiming it minimised the Holocaust.

“Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation” was removed from a library at Vero Beach High School after a leader of Moms for Liberty in Indian River County raised an objection. The school’s principal agreed with the objection, and the book was removed last month.

The book at one point shows the protagonist walking in a park, enchanted by female nude statues, and later proposing to a friend that they show each other their breasts.

Under the school district’s policy, the principal makes the decision on a challenged book. If someone disagrees with a decision to keep the disputed book on the shelves, it can be appealed to a districtwide committee. The Anne Frank graphic novel had been checked out twice before it was removed, Cristen Maddux, a spokeswoman for the School District of Indian River County, said Monday.

Vero Beach is located 105 miles (169 kilometers) southeast of Orlando.

Other books about Anne Frank and copies of the published diary she wrote chronicling her time hiding from the Nazis with her family and other Jews in German-occupied Amsterdam remain in the school systems’ libraries. The Jewish teenager’s diary was published in 1947, several years after she died in a concentration camp, and it has become a classic read by tens of millions of people around the world.

By law, Florida schools are required to teach about the Holocaust, and nothing has changed in that respect, Maddux said.

“The feedback that the Holocaust is being removed from the curriculum and students aren’t knowledgeable about what happened, that is not the case at all,” Maddux said. “It’s just a challenged book and the principal removed it.”

Besides the Anne Frank graphic novel, Moms for Liberty in Indian River County objected to three books in the “Assassination Classroom” series, and they also were removed.

Moms for Liberty leader Jennifer Pippin said the Anne Frank graphic novel violated state standards to teach the Holocaust accurately.

“Even her version featured the editing out of the entries about sex,” Pippin said, referring to the original diary. “Even the publisher of the book calls it a ‘biography,’ meaning, it writes its own interpretive spin. It’s not the actual work. It quotes the work, but it’s not the diary in full. It chooses to offer a different view on the subject.”

Published in 2018, the graphic novel was adapted from Anne Frank’s diary by Ari Folman, and David Polonsky provided the illustrations. Folman’s parents are Holocaust survivors.

When contacted by email, the book’s publisher, Pantheon Graphic Library, forwarded the inquiry to Yves Kugelmann, a board member of a foundation set up by Anne Frank’s father, Otto, devoted to distributing Anne Frank’s diary and other matters. Kugelmann didn’t immediately respond to questions.

The American Library Association reported last month that there were more than 1,200 demands to censor library books last year in the US, the highest number since the association began tracking more than 20 years ago.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Farmers urged to report cases of praedial larceny
Latest News, News
Farmers urged to report cases of praedial larceny
February 28, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Franklin Witter, is appealing to farmers to report inciden...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Malachi Smith is 2026 Jamaica Brew Literary and Film Festival honoree
Latest News, News
Malachi Smith is 2026 Jamaica Brew Literary and Film Festival honoree
February 28, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Acclaimed dub poet Malachi Smith has been named the 2026 honouree of the Jamaica Brew Literary and Film Festival, an accolade he r...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Trump tells NBC ‘we feel’ reports of Khamenei death are ‘correct’
International News, Latest News
Trump tells NBC ‘we feel’ reports of Khamenei death are ‘correct’
February 28, 2026
PALM BEACH, United States (AFP) — United States (US) President Donald Trump said Saturday that he believes multiple reports that Iran's supreme leader...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Foreign Affairs ministry urges Jamaicans to avoid travel to Middle East
International News, Latest News, News
Foreign Affairs ministry urges Jamaicans to avoid travel to Middle East
February 28, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is urging Jamaicans to avoid traveling to the Middle East amid the recent US-Isr...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer", "breaking-news":"Push Notifications"}
Netanyahu says ‘many signs’ Khamenei is dead after Israel, US attack Iran
International News, Latest News
Netanyahu says ‘many signs’ Khamenei is dead after Israel, US attack Iran
February 28, 2026
JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that there were signs that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Green Island Police Station telephone lines temporarily down
Latest News, News
Green Island Police Station telephone lines temporarily down
February 28, 2026
HANOVER, Jamaica — The Green Island Police Station in Hanover is advising members of the public that its telephone lines are currently out of service....
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Gov’t, IDB to invest $150m in cybersecurity project for 2026/27
Latest News, News
Gov’t, IDB to invest $150m in cybersecurity project for 2026/27
February 28, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A total of $150 million will be allocated in fiscal year 2026/27 to strengthen cybersecurity protection across public institutions...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Dominican Republic to build ‘economic wall’ on border with Haiti
Latest News, Regional
Dominican Republic to build ‘economic wall’ on border with Haiti
February 28, 2026
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (CMC) — President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader on Friday announced that the country would establish a ne...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct