Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and his staff swiftly debunked a claim that the Sunshine State had banned students from reading “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
In a post to X on Sunday, California Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener claimed that Florida had banned the famous account of a Jewish family seeking to survive the Nazi domination of the Netherlands.
“Florida banning the Diary of Anne Frank tells you everything you need to know about the MAGA movement,” Wiener wrote.
Florida banning the Diary of Anne Frank tells you everything you need to know about the MAGA movement.
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) August 25, 2025
A community note made clear that “Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank, is part of the 8th-grade curriculum of the Florida Department of Education.”
The note linked to the official Florida Department of Education website, which indeed showed the volume on the “suggested book list” for eighth grade.
Another document on the agency’s website also included the book.
It’s possible that Wiener was referring to one Florida high school’s decision in 2023 to remove a graphic novel called “Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation.”
But the book had sexualized material, such as two female characters suggesting that they show one another their breasts.
A leader of Moms for Liberty had recommended its removal because it minimized the Holocaust, according to the Associated Press.
Christina Pushaw, the rapid response director for the 2024 DeSantis presidential campaign, blasted the claim from Wiener.
“This is just a lie,” she posted, observing, “Not only is Anne Frank’s diary not ‘banned’ in Florida — it’s on @EducationFL recommended reading list.”
This is just a lie. Not only is Anne Frank’s diary not “banned” in Florida — it’s on @EducationFL recommended reading list. https://t.co/8901a7NqpU pic.twitter.com/QaG4uTEn73
— Christina Pushaw ???? ???????? (@ChristinaPushaw) August 25, 2025
DeSantis also weighed into the controversy.
“This is not the first time a leftist has accused Florida of ‘banning’ a book that is on the state’s recommended reading list,” he said, sharing Pushaw’s post.
“Another lie debunked,” he concluded.
This is not the first time a leftist has accused Florida of “banning” a book that is on the state’s recommended reading list.
Another lie debunked. https://t.co/cLKme9zgty
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 25, 2025
Left-wing politicians, media outlets, and activists have indeed claimed that Republican officials are working to ban books, often neglecting to mention that such books targeted for removal usually have sexually explicit or even homoerotic themes.
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