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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 18 august 2017
Texas school official removed over book’s supremacist symbol

By DAVID WARREN The Denton school district, Zavala said Hauser, who
Associated Press north of Dallas, said in a was under contract for the
DALLAS (AP) — A Texas statement Monday that 2017-18 school year, is on
school district has removed the publicity generated by administrative leave pend-
an assistant principal from Hauser’s work has become ing a school board deci-
his post after he authored a “distraction.” The district sion on his status.
a children’s book whose said he was being reas- Post Hill Press described
central character is also a signed from his position at Hauser’s book as a tale
white supremacist symbol. a middle school to an un- that children “will find an
Eric Hauser self-published determined post. exciting battle of good
a book this summer, titled Superintendent Jamie Wil- vs. evil and adults will find
“The Adventures of Pepe son said the district encour- clever parallels to the con-
and Pede,” about a frog ages staff and students flict between truth and ig-
and centipede seek- to be free-thinkers and to norance that faces Amer-
ing “truth and honesty” express ideas, but “when ica’s leaders.”
against “deceitful forces these ideas interrupt the Anthony Ziccardi, publisher
threatening their home,” ability to learn, work or cre- of Post Hill Press, told the
according to the website ate divisiveness, each of us AP that the company pur-
of Post Hill Press, which pur- is held accountable.” chased the book last week
chased Hauser’s book last “The students, the com- after noticing it was trend-
week. The publisher offers munity and the teachers ing online. He declined to
Christian and politically are too important to me say what Hauser was paid
conservative publications, to subject them to all the for the rights.
among others. negativity and disapproval In this Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 photo, Rodriguez Middle School “I don’t see any reason
Pepe the Frog, which first resulting from this book,” assistant principal Eric Hauser poses his book “The Adventures of why if you’re a pro-Trump
appeared more than a de- Hauser said as part of the Pepe and Pede” in Denton, Texas. supporter you can’t write a
cade ago in an online car- district’s statement. “To Associated Press children’s book that shares
toon, has been appropri- my colleagues, I offer my the message of President
ated by white supremacists deepest apologies if this people who learned about best that I not serve as assis- Trump’s mandate of law
and other racists in online has affected them or their his book started discussing tant principal at Rodriguez. and order,” Ziccardi said.
memes, according to the families in any negative the darker aspects of Pepe The students, the com- “We feel there was a
Anti-Defamation League. way.” with him. He said he chose munity, and the teachers move online to turn these
The organization said the Hauser dedicated the Pepe because he’s a “fun- are too important to me characters into something
character didn’t originally book to “fellow centi- ny” and “lovable” charac- to subject them to all the they’re not.”
have such connotations, pedes,” a nickname used ter. negativity and disapproval Ziccardi said he was sur-
but the use of racist and by supporters of President Hauser’s home phone resulting from this book. To prised by the fallout involv-
bigoted versions of Pepe Donald Trump. number isn’t publicly listed. my colleagues, I offer my ing the school district, ex-
has been increasing in re- Hauser told The Dallas However, the district state- deepest apologies if this plaining that Hauser “did
cent years, which prompt- Morning News that he ment quotes Hauser as has affected them or their not go in and say, ‘I’m go-
ed the group to categorize knew Pepe as a conserva- saying: “Due to the contro- families in any negative ing to embrace this nega-
the character as a hate tive meme, but not a white versy surrounding the book way.” tive message and create a
symbol. supremacist one. He said I have published, I think it’s District spokesman Mario character from it.’”q

Rainie Yang stars in Tai-

wanese horror sequel ‘Tag

Along 2’

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Tai- photographed really clear-
wanese singer and actress ly,” Yang said in an inter-
Rainie Yang stars in “The view with The Associated
Tag Along 2,” a sequel to Press. “People have been
the 2015 hit that’s loosely talking about it for the
based on a ghostly urban last 20 years. It happened
legend in Taiwan about a when I was very little but I
little girl who appears in the still remember it well. So it
footage of a family’s hiking definitely had a far reach.”
trip. The only problem was, In the sequel, Yang plays
she wasn’t part of the fam- a social worker whose
ily and no one seemed to daughter goes missing in
recall seeing a young girl the mountains. She joins the
on the mountain that day. search and rescue team
The actual footage of the and while looking for her
mysterious “little girl in red” lost daughter gets haunted
was broadcast on Taiwan- by the little girl in red. In this photo taken on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, Taiwanese actress Rainie Yang smiles during an
interview with The Associated Press in Taipei, Taiwan.
ese television in the 1990s. “From there she discovered Associated Press
Some believed that she the obsession of the little
was roaming the moun- girl in red,” Yang said. “Ev- an obsession, you can’t let stumbled across all this, the before filming commences
tains looking for her next eryone has their obsession, it go. That’s why you keep story began.” for horror movies to keep
victim. whether you’re human or a hanging around, and can’t It is customary in Asia to the cast and crew from
“The little girl in red was ghost and when you have get over it. So because she hold a blessing ceremony harm’s way. q