Teacher SACKED for assigning illustrated Anne Frank diary to teach pupils about WW2
Anne Frank died in 1945
Flickr
A teacher has been sacked after she assigned her students a graphic novel version of Anne Frank’s diary to teach them about World War Two.
The graphic novel, which was released in 2018, features passages about male and female genitalia.
Anne Frank wrote about sexuality in her diary, but many publications over the years have chosen to omit these sections.
The substitute teacher did not get approval to assign Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation to her students, according to the Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District (ISD).
Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam
Pixabay
However, parents have said that the book was on a reading list sent out at the beginning of the school year.
An investigation into the incident ensued and the teacher was fired as a result.
A district statement sent to parents 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.
Officials within the Hamshire-Fannett ISD confirmed that the teacher was let go, with the search for a replacement already under way.
They said: “The district is currently in the process of posting to secure a high-quality, full-time teacher as quickly as possible.”
SCHOOL DISTRICT DISPUTES:
In the graphic novel, Anne references genitalia as well as her desire to kiss her female friend Jacque.
The novel, which was adapted by Ari Folman and illustrated by David Polonksy, remains faithful to the original novel which was published in 1947.
Folman’s parents were Polish-Jewish holocaust survivors.
Parents at the school were left outraged after discovering the book was a part of the curriculum for the eight-grade.
“It's bad enough she's having them read this for an assignment, but then she also is making them read it aloud,' said mom Amy Manuel, whose sons are in eighth grade.
“Making a little girl talk about feeling each other's breasts and when she sees a female she goes into ecstasy, that's not ok,' she continued.
Hamshire-Fannett ISD representative Mike Canziales said they would bring in extra measures to ensure the suitability of the content students were consuming.
Hamshire-Fannett ISD representative Mike Canziales said they would bring in extra measures to safeguard students
Hamshire-Fannett Independent School District (ISD)
“We appreciate your trust and partnership as we all work towards the common goal of safeguarding your child's educational environment,” he wrote.
The district maintains that the book was never approved, parents have said that the book was on a list sent to parents at the beginning of the school year.
The graphic novel has come under heat from other school districts in the US.
In April, a Florida school library removed the book after a parent complained of it being sexually explicit.
Meanwhile, in California, the state attorney general is suing a school board for anti-liberal measures.
Rob Bonta accused a school board for outing students' who had different gender identities to their parents.