Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday reportedly dismissed accusations that Florida had banned Anne Frank’s famous Holocaust-era diary, noting that the book is not only available in the state but also recommended as part of the curriculum.
“This is not the first time a leftist has accused Florida of ‘banning’ a book that is on the state’s recommended reading list,” Mr. DeSantis wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Another lie debunked.”
His comments were in direct response to California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat, who had claimed online that Florida had banned The Diary of Anne Frank. Wiener had cited an article from The Guardian that alleged Florida led the nation in book bans in 2025 and specifically claimed that Anne Frank’s diary was pulled from school libraries.
“Florida banning the Diary of Anne Frank tells you everything you need to know about the MAGA movement,” Mr. Wiener posted. His claim was quickly flagged by X’s community notes feature, which pointed out that the book remains “part of the 8th-grade curriculum of the Florida Department of Education.”
Wiener’s office later clarified that he was referring to a graphic-novel version of the book that was removed by the Hillsborough County School District, along with more than 600 other titles, after the Florida Board of Education threatened legal action over “pornographic” material on library shelves.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Wiener’s office argued: “Senator Wiener’s tweet refers to the well-documented incident of the Hillsborough School District removing the Diary of Anne Frank, along with over 600 other titles, from library shelves in response to an aggressive crackdown from the state Department of Education. At least 9 school districts in Florida have removed books like the Diary of Anne Frank from bookshelves because the state is empowering far-right activists like Moms For Liberty.”
Florida officials, however, reject that characterization, stressing the distinction between Anne Frank’s original diary and the illustrated adaptation by Ari Folman.
“There are no books banned in Florida,” Mr. DeSantis’s office said. “One of those books was Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation by Ari Folman, not The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. Folman’s so-called ‘adaptation’ is nothing more than an imitation that diminishes the gravity of the Holocaust.”
The governor’s office accused “far-left activists” of deliberately spreading misinformation. “Far-left activists are intentionally spreading lies to confuse parents rather than share about the world-class education Florida is providing students. Florida banning Anne Frank is a hoax, and they know it,” the statement continued.
The episode underscores the broader political fight surrounding Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education Act,” which opponents deride as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. The measure restricts instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in K-12 classrooms and has fueled disputes with progressive activists who argue the state is stifling speech.
For DeSantis and his supporters, however, the controversy illustrates a familiar pattern: opponents making sweeping claims about censorship while ignoring the facts. “Another lie debunked,” the governor reiterated.
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