NJ school district apologizes for inappropriate yearbook post

The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District apologized for an “inappropriate comment” that appeared in the newly issued yearbook but said a review determined it was not intended to be malicious.

Ramapo Indian Hills Regional School District Acting Superintendent Melissa Quackenbush issued an apology for an “inappropriate comment” in the Indian Hills High School yearbook. Distribution of the yearbook was halted and a reprint will be available during the summer.

“They found me – Anne Frank" appeared under the image of a graduating male senior. Townsquare Media is not disclosing the identity of the student.

Frank, a German-born Jewish teenager, kept a diary of her time hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam between 1942 and 1944 when she was arrested. Her diaries and writings were preserved by others who left their hiding place before Frank's arrest.

"I want to underscore that such content is entirely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We extend our deepest apologies to all students, families, and community members. This incident will not be forgotten or left unaddressed," Quackenbush wrote, adding that the district was working with the  Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey for “guidance on how best to support our students.”

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Enhanced review policy

In a second statement, Quackenbush said a review "determined that no harm or offense was intended by the student. While the quote was not reflective of our district's values, it is evident that the student's action was not malicious."

The statement did not disclose if the student was penalized for the comment or how it wound up in the final edition of the yearbook.

"We acknowledge the sensitivity of the current climate and the concerns of our community. As a precautionary measure, we are enhancing our review processes to prevent incidents in the future. We are committed to establishing more rigorous procedures for student publications moving forward," Quackenbush said.

Alana Burman, director of Jewish Community Relations for the Federation, said she was "dismayed" at the "insensitive and inappropriate posting" but pleased with the immediate response.

“We look forward to our continued collaboration on education and awareness with regards to antisemitism and hate bias in general. We also hope this unfortunate incident will result in better processes in the future," Burman said.

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Second yearbook snafu this month

The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District serves students from Franklin Lakes, Oakland and Wyckoff. It has an enrollment of 736, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

It was the second New Jersey high school yearbook issue this month.

The East Brunswick High School yearbook included a listing for the Jewish Student Union with a picture of Muslim students. Unlike other club listings, member names were not included.

East Brunswick Superintendent Victor Valeski said that an investigation shows a communications breakdown may have led to the omission. He does not believe the omission was an "intentional act or a subvert act."