Quick Facts:
- Incident: An infant photo of Adolf Hitler appeared in the student baby photos section
- School: East Brook Middle School, Paramus, New Jersey
- Discovered: June 25, 2026, after books reached students
- Response: Every yearbook collected the same day, before students left
- Investigating: Paramus Police and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office
- Current status: Books being reprinted with the image removed
- Why it matters: A single unvetted submission slipped past yearbook review
5 min read
In This Article
What Happened With the Baby Hitler Yearbook Photo
East Brook Middle School in Paramus, New Jersey recalled every copy of its 2026 yearbook after a baby Hitler yearbook photo appeared in the student baby photos section. Staff collected the books on June 25, the same day students received them, before anyone left for the day.
The page was meant to hold infant pictures of the graduating class. Instead, one black-and-white image showed Adolf Hitler as a baby. Because the photo was small and unlabeled, many students and parents paged past it without recognizing the face. The yearbook recall followed within hours of the discovery.
Superintendent Sean Adams of Paramus Public Schools confirmed the timeline to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. According to Adams, staff retrieved the yearbooks “the same day they were distributed, before the students left school for the day.” Administrators then notified families and law enforcement within hours.
Video: ABC7 New York (WABC) Eyewitness News report.
The Principal Condemned the Yearbook Photo
Principal Ryan Aupperlee sent a letter to school families on the day of the recall. In it, he described the image as “an infant photograph of Adolf Hitler” and called its presence “a severe breach of our values.” He wrote directly, without softening the language.
“Adolf Hitler represents hatred, antisemitism, and the horrors of the Holocaust, including the murder of six million Jews,” Aupperlee wrote. He added, “An image of him has no place in a yearbook created for our students. It does not reflect who we are or what East Brook stands for, and we condemn its inclusion without reservation.”
Paramus Mayor Chris DiPiazza also responded publicly. On Facebook, he wrote the incident “does not reflect Paramus,” stressing one act does not define the town. Local Jewish leaders welcomed the quick condemnation while pressing for accountability.
Jason Shames, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, said the episode was “shocking people to the core.” Although he praised the district’s handling, he called for consequences once investigators identify who submitted the photo.
How the Baby Hitler Photo Reached the Yearbook
School officials have not explained how the baby Hitler yearbook photo entered the book. Because the review process failed to catch it, administrators referred the matter to police. Paramus officers were notified, and details were passed to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
Adams said the investigation remains “ongoing” and noted “any details related to students must remain confidential.” As a result, the district has not confirmed whether a student, a parent, or a third party uploaded the image.
The representative from the Jewish Federation acknowledged one practical difficulty. He noted the photo would be hard to identify without prior knowledge of the image. Still, he questioned the intent behind the submission and how it cleared every checkpoint before printing.
Replacing the Recalled Yearbooks
The district is now working with its yearbook vendor on a fix. Adams said the goal is to reissue the books after removing the offensive content. At the same time, the plan aims to preserve the handwritten notes students and teachers had already signed.
Adams said the district wants “to redistribute the yearbooks after removing the offensive content” while letting students keep “the handwritten, personalized messages their classmates and teachers had already written.” For this reason, a full reprint is more complex than a simple page swap.
How Yearbook Baby Photo Sections Work
Baby photo pages rely on submissions from families rather than a staff photographer. Parents send in an old snapshot, and an editor drops each one into a grid, often at thumbnail size. Because the images arrive from many sources, verifying every face takes deliberate effort.
Editors usually match each baby image to a named student before layout. When a photo lacks a clear label or a matching name, it should trigger a second look. In this case, the review missed the swap, which is why a manual cross-check of every submission matters.
Schools and volunteer editors reduce risk with a few habits. First, require a name and a parent signature for every submitted image. Second, compare each baby photo against the student’s current portrait. If your program photographs the current headshots in-house, our guide to better portraits of kids and our newborn photography tips show how consistent, well-lit images make matching faces far easier.
A short verification pass at proof stage also helps. Reviewers should read every caption, confirm every name, and flag any unlabeled frame. Strong portrait photography habits, including clear framing and honest expressions, give editors a reliable reference when they cross-check submissions.
A Pattern of New Jersey School Incidents
The Paramus case follows other recent disputes in New Jersey schools. In 2024, a high school in East Brunswick ordered a yearbook recall after a photo of the Jewish Student Association was replaced with an image of a different student group. The book also drew public condemnation.
Also in 2024, the U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into Teaneck Public Schools after parents alleged an antisemitic climate. Local rabbis in Paramus pointed to these events while praising the district’s fast response, as reported by ABC7 New York. Rabbi Arthur Weiner told congregants the community had reason to “take heart in the reaction of the authorities.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What school recalled the yearbook over the baby Hitler photo?
East Brook Middle School in Paramus, New Jersey recalled the book. Administrators pulled every copy on June 25, 2026, the same day students received them, once staff identified the image.
How did the baby Hitler yearbook photo get into the book?
Officials have not said. The image entered the student baby photos section, and the review process failed to catch it. Paramus Police and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating.
Will students get their yearbooks back?
Yes. The district is working with its yearbook company to remove the image and reissue the books. The plan preserves the handwritten messages classmates and teachers already wrote inside.
Who identified the photo as Adolf Hitler?
The image was recognized after students received the books. Principal Ryan Aupperlee then notified families, condemned the inclusion, and alerted law enforcement the same day.
Is anyone facing consequences?
No consequences have been announced. Because the investigation is ongoing and involves a school setting, officials say student details stay confidential until the review concludes.
