Anne Frank graphic novel to be reinstated in Texas school district amid outrage from Jewish groups 

An Anne Frank novel which was previously deemed ‘too graphic’ for schoolkids to read has been reinstated after a heated board meeting. 

The 2019 graphic adaptation of the diary – based on the young child who was killed by Nazis during the Holocaust – was removed from shelves for its ‘pornographic material,’ but the ban caused intense backlash in Jewish groups in Tarrant County, Texas. 

Simon Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, along with other groups, vocalized his opposition after the district was requested to remove a list of books last week, including the graphic novel that contained unwanted sexual references and mention of homosexuality, including details about genitalia.

Superintendent Rick Westfall later called the bans a ‘miscommunication’ and said the district is ‘not banning the Bible or the Diary of Anne Frank, as has been suggested in some headlines and shared on social media.’

Westfall added that only the graphic version of Anne Frank’s famous diary had been banned, not the original copies of the diary. He confirmed the graphic novel will be made available in schools ‘very soon.’

The graphic novel was banned after parents complained it contained too much detail on sexuality, citing a portion of the novel that included details of sex organs

One parent held up the book and began to read the novel at the board meeting. Some parents were upset that it had been removed while others were upset that it was reinstated due to its ‘sexual content’ 

Staff at the Texas school district were ordered to remove 41 books after parents vocalized their disapproval last year. Aside from the Anne Frank graphic novel, others included the Bible and Toni Morrison’s ‘The Bluest Eye,’ Ashley Hope Pérez’s ‘Out of Darkness’ and Maia Kobabe’s ‘Gender Queer.’ 

Superintendent Rick Westfall later called the bans a ‘miscommunication’ and said the district is ‘not banning the Bible or the Diary of Anne Frank, as has been suggested

The motion to remove the book was quickly met with opposition as one businessman from the kosher meat provider in New Jersey threatened to send copies of the novel to the school district in protest, according to The Jewish Chronicle.

‘Antisemitism and Holocaust denial take many forms,’ Seth Leavitt said. ‘Removing a book that tells the true story of a Jewish girl who was killed by Nazis is one of them.

Another Keller parent vocalized her opposition and threatened to send an additional 100 copies of the book. Laney Hawes told the school board she would have enough copies of the diary for every school library, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

‘Before this, there were only a handful of copies of the books in our school district,’ Hawes said. ‘Now we hope to have them in every single middle, intermediate, and high school library.’

I’m sending these books so that the people of Keller, Texas have the opportunity to read her story. We cannot erase history.’

The school board passed new guidelines for the books on Monday, but some parents and educators were left unsatisfied with the ‘unacceptable’ materials that will be available to students on the topics of sexual assault.

One horrified parent was horrified school officials were unbanning the book and read a portion of the Anne Frank graphic novel at the meeting that discussed her genitalia in detail. 

Still, the school district insisted they weren’t barring the Anne Frank novel and was angered at the controversy.

‘For the record, Keller ISD is not banning the Bible or Anne Frank,’ school board president Charles Randklev said while insisting the motion to remove the graphic novel was ‘to protect our children from pornographic material.’

Keller school district is in a politically split area of conservatives and liberals. Joe Biden won in the county by less than 2,000 votes during the 2020 elections, according to The Washington Post.

Some parents sought to remove the books in a conservative effort to unite the districts in their beliefs and rid of ‘pornographic images’ in books. 

PICTURED: Keller ISD – the district that barred the graphic novel along with other books as parents complained about the content 

The listing of books was sent on August 16, a day before the school district was set to begin its 2022-23 school year

Banned books within the public school system have been a contentious topic that has expanded in the past year, according to a report by Pen America.

More than 1,500 books have been banned in 86 school districts from July 2020 to March 2020. The report reflects districts in 26 states with more than two million students.

These books tend to contain information about the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and sexual content. However, Pen America argues removing these books takes away the ‘First Amendment rights of students in public schools.’

In Texas, a legislator sent a letter to school districts warning of 850 books to investigate. The state has made a mass removal of more than 500 books.

A list of 41 books (pictured) sent to principals and librarians for removal in the Keller Independent School District in North Texas