Pennsylvania

‘Regrettable Mistake:' Pennsylvania School District Apologizes for Hitler, Stalin, ISIS Quotes in Yearbook

A Pennsylvania school district -- with the motto "thriving: every heart, every mind, every day" on its website -- apologized after quotes from Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and an Islamic State terrorist leader were printed in the graduating class section of this year's high school yearbook.

Quaker Valley School District sent out an email to parents Wednesday that stated that, "though the content of the quotes was reviewed thoroughly, the attributions clearly were not," reported the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"This is a regrettable mistake, as the school district would never knowingly condone this messaging in a school-sponsored publication," said the statement signed by superintendent Heidi Ondek, high school principal Deborah Riccobelli and yearbook sponsor and English teacher Tamra Rosa. "We are well aware of the emotions this has conjured in many of our students and their families, and for that we are sorry."

The Hitler quote is "Words build bridges into unexplored regions" while Stalin's statement is more menacing: "Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, so why would we let them have ideas?"

The third quote is from Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "Be just: the unjust never prosper. Be valiant. Keep you word, even to your enemies."

Students can get a refund on the books -- which cost range for $69 to upwards of $100 -- or stickers to cover up the quotes.

The high school features 637 students in grades 9 to 12, according to the district website.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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