An image of Adolf Hitler as a child was inserted into the “baby photos” section of a middle school yearbook in New Jersey, according to a report by the New York Post. The yearbooks had been distributed to middle school students at the end of the school year, but once administrators identified the image, the principal of East Brook Middle School in Paramus, Ryan Aupperlee, sent a letter to parents ordering all copies to be collected immediately to prevent further distribution.
"Earlier today, after students had already received their yearbooks, we learned that the baby pictures section of the yearbook contained an image that was later identified as an infant photograph of Adolf Hitler," East Brook Middle School Principal Ryan Aupperlee wrote in a June 25 letter to parents. "We immediately collected the yearbooks so the image would not remain in circulation."
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'Baby pictures section of the yearbook contained an image that was later identified as an infant photograph of Adolf Hitler'
(Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
The principal added that “Adolf Hitler represents hatred, antisemitism, and the horrors of the Holocaust, including the murder of six million Jews. An image of him has no place in a yearbook created for our students. It does not reflect who we are or what East Brook stands for, and we condemn its inclusion without reservation.”
An image of Adolf Hitler was inserted into the 'baby photos' section of a middle school yearbook
(Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Aupperlee said the school is working to produce a corrected yearbook “as soon as possible” and will provide updates on how to handle the confiscated copies, including coordination with law enforcement in New Jersey. “Thank you for your patience, understanding, and trust as we work to make this right," Aupperlee's letter concluded. "We remain committed to ensuring that our school reflects the values of respect, inclusion, and dignity for every member of our community."
East Brook Middle School in Paramus
(Photo: Google Street View)
'Adolf Hitler represents hatred, antisemitism, and the horrors of the Holocaust, including the murder of six million Jews'
(Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
It remains unclear whether a student was responsible for inserting the image into the yearbook or how it was determined that the image depicted Hitler as a child. However, there have been previous instances in which students included references to the leader of Nazi Germany in school yearbooks.