East Brook Middle School in Paramus, New Jersey, has apologized and recalled yearbooks distributed to students after a baby photograph of Adolf Hitler was discovered in the publication's baby photos section. Principal Ryan Aupperlee stated in a letter that the school became aware of the image after yearbooks had already been given to students.
"We immediately collected the yearbooks so the image would not remain in circulation," Aupperlee wrote. He expressed disappointment that the photo identified as an infant Adolf Hitler from 1889, a figure who has become a symbol of hate and antisemitism, was included in the official school publication.
"I want to be direct with you: the presence of this image is unacceptable," Aupperlee stated. "Even if the image was not immediately recognizable to those paging through the book, its inclusion in an official school publication is a severe breach of our values."
He emphasized that the image of Hitler, responsible for the Holocaust and the murder of six million Jews, has no place in a yearbook created for students and does not reflect the school's values. The school is developing a plan to provide every student with a corrected yearbook.
The circumstances surrounding how the image entered the yearbook and who is responsible are currently under investigation by the school and the Paramus Police Department. A bias incident report has been completed, and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has been notified. Mayor Chris DiPiazza of Paramus also released a statement, affirming the borough's commitment to being welcoming to all faiths and stating that the incident does not represent Paramus.